Affordable new Chery coming to South Africa – What to expect

Chery has officially confirmed that a new “Q” model is coming to South Africa.

The Chinese carmaker recently announced it will showcase a new, all-electric compact vehicle at Auto China 2026, the massive automotive convention taking place in Beijing later this month.

It stated that the Q will arrive in South Africa later in 2026 and that it will compete in the affordable electric vehicle (EV) segment.

“Chery will use the global stage to preview the all-new Q, reimagined as a premium compact model and an important part of the brand’s future line-up.”

“Built on a dedicated electric platform, the Q combines distinctive styling with modern in-car technology, delivering a connected and practical driving experience.”

The new model marks an evolution of Chery’s Q brand (which goes by “QQ” in China).

The original QQ series was a group of urban hatchbacks with petrol engines first launched all the way back in 2003.

However, in 2021, Chery relaunched the brand with the QQ Ice Cream, a compact 3-door EV primarily designed for East Asian markets.

In South Africa, the Q will be the first in a new series of cars from Chery, offering something quite different from the brand’s current lineup of Tiggo crossovers and SUVs

“As a fully electric vehicle, the Q also reflects Chery’s growing focus on electrification in South Africa, offering customers an accessible entry point into new energy vehicles,” said the manufacturer.

The Q will be the first EV sold by Chery in South Africa.

Right now, Chery only offers hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) versions of the Tiggo Cross, Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8, and Tiggo 9 SUVs.

The same is true of Omoda and Jaecoo, which sell HEV and PHEV versions of the C5, C7, C9, and J7.

However, the Q is unlikely to be the first EV sold by a Chery brand in South Africa, as iCaur is scheduled to launch here in May.

iCaur is an all-electric brand that will introduce two new cars, the 03T and the V23 SUVs. Both are fully-electric, though the V23 will also receive a range-extended electric vehicle (REEV) powertrain at a later date.

What we know so far

The only information Chery has provided thus far is that it will introduce “a new Q model” in South Africa.

However, this should refer to the QQ3, a 5-door electric hatchback that was unveiled in China in late 2025.

As far as price is concerned, Chery stated that the Q will offer an accessible entry point to EVs.

This means it will be competing against the Geely E2 and BYD Dolphin Surf, which are the cheapest EVs in South Africa right now, with prices starting at R339,900 and R341,900, respectively.

In China, the QQ3 costs between 58,900 and 78,900 yuan, which converts to between R141,000 and R189,000 at the current exchange rate.

Of course, taxes and import duties mean that the price won’t be anywhere near this low by the time it reaches South Africa, but even so, it is sure to be one of the most affordable EVs in the country.

Chery hasn’t revealed the full spec sheet, though it did state that the cabin features advanced AI-driven systems designed to enhance connectivity and ease of use.

It also claimed that it will be very spacious by compact vehicle standards, and that it will offer a range of premium features like a 540-degree camera system and other Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS).

According to carnewschina, the entry-level QQ3 is fitted with a single rear-mounted electric motor producing 58kW. There’s also a more powerful version with 90kW.

Battery sizes range from 29.5kWh to 41.3kWh, which gives a CLTC range of between 310km and 420km.

TopAuto will be attending the Beijing Auto Show as a guest of iCaur this month, so stay tuned for updates on upcoming product releases across all of Chery car brands.