Chinese vehicle brand JAC Motors has built its 300,000th T-Series double cab bakkie at the Yangzhou production line in Jiangsu province, China. Founded as the Hefei Jianghuai Automobile Factory in 1964, this milestone coincides with its 60th birthday celebrations.
JAC Motors ranks second in the Chinese domestic bakkie industry. The brand sold 55,000 bakkies in 2023, of which 42,000 were exported. International sales were up 9.9% year-on-year, while domestic sales were up 16.3%, leading to an overall increase of 11.3%.
While it took 13 years to produce 200,000 T-Series bakkies, the next 100,000 took less than two years. This rapid growth is due to expanding its international footprint and increasing sales in represented countries, according to the company.
The T9 is a huge game-changer for us.
— JAC Motors SA CEO Karl-Heinz Göbel
The company exports bakkies, passenger cars and trucks to more than 132 countries, including South Africa. The local market was the first to launch the new T9 right-hand drive bakkie.
At this year's Beijing Automotive Show, JAC Motors launched a battery-electric version of the T9, boasting a range of 500km. The T9 electric vehicle features an 88.02kWh lithium iron phosphate battery and two electric motors with 70kW and 160kW, delivering 176Nm and 342Nm torque, respectively.
“The T9 is a huge game-changer for us. The T-Series includes three double cab line-ups: the T6, T8 and T9, all available in 4x2 and 4x4 configurations. By the end of 2024 the range will expand with T6 single cab derivatives, followed by T8 eight-speed automatic derivatives in early 2025,” said JAC Motors SA CEO Karl-Heinz Göbel.
Since entering the local market in 2017, JAC Motors SA has expanded its line-up to include T-Series double cabs, X-Series forward cabs and trucks ranging from three to nine tonnes. It has more than 70 dealers in Southern Africa.
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