You probably know Jaecoo, but not for its EV smarts. The jury is still out on that front. But not for long, as the automaker unveiled its first-ever BEV (battery electric vehicle) for the South African market. That’d be the Jaecoo J5, not to be mistaken for the J5 crossover range that launched back in 2025 with a traditional combustion engine.
While those demand anywhere between R340,000 and R480,000, the electric J5 isn’t as forgiving. It’s rolling onto the streets with a price of R550,000, making it the fifth most affordable EV in the country. And that’s not even the end of it. The Jaecoo J5 is set to unveil a hybrid model soon, though pricing is still unknown.
Jaecoo story, bro
The Jaecoo J5 looks distinctive enough to let your buds know that this is, in fact, the more expensive BEV model. Jaecoo’s traded out the ‘signature waterfall grille’ for something a bit more streamlined, accompanied by a futuristic-looking lightbar spanning its width. There’s a bit of black trim underneath to set it further apart.
The J5 draws its power from a single front-mounted electric motor, providing 155kW and 288Nm of power and torque, respectively. That’s noticeably more than the petrol-dependent models, which are capped at 115kW and 230Nm. Pair it up with the 58.9kWh battery, and the J5 should get 480km on a single charge. It’ll charge pretty quickly on DC power, ranging from 80-130kW, though AC charging is kneecapped to 11kW.
Buyers are getting a pretty accomplished set of features to make the trip more comfortable. The driver — presumably the person who bought the bloody thing — gets a six-way electric seat, while the passenger only gets a four-way one. Both seats are ventilated, though, and can be had in black or white colourways.
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Up front, you’ll find the 13.2in infotainment screen, while a smaller 8in digital cluster sits behind the wheel. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also included. Jaecoo aren’t savages. It’s accompanied by keyless entry and start, a multifunction steering wheel, eight speakers, an electric sunshade, and a bunch of USB-C and -A ports. 50W wireless charging is the real hero, likely being a little overqualified for your smartphone.
18in alloy wheels sit under the pile of steel and aluminium, with LED headlights wrapping around the front. Buyers can also look forward to electric side mirrors, a powered tailgate, and roof rails. Plus a whole lot of safety features, including Adaptive Cruise Control, six airbags, 540-degree cameras, parking sensors, and plenty more besides. In other words, the Jaecoo J5 will be beeping at you. A lot. For safety, of course.
If you’re enticed, you’ll probably want to get your pre-order in soon. Jaecoo’s offering anyone who does so an incentive to the value of R50,000. You’re see a R12,000 reduction on the vehicle’s purchase price (down to R538,000) as well as R5,000 in public charging credit. An EV starter kit worth R30,000 rounds out the deal.
