Chery challenged South Africans to come up with a bakkie name – these were the best ideas

Chery has announced the final list of names that could be used for its new double-cab bakkie in South Africa.

The Chinese automaker recently held an online competition where motorists could submit their ideas for the brand’s upcoming pickup truck, which is currently known by its internal development name – the KP31.

Chery held a similar competition in Australia a few months ago, where residents in the Land Down Under submitted over 20,000 ideas for the ute.

This was then narrowed down to a list of finalists, including the Orca, Terra, Outrider, Ridgeback, Ironbark, Longreach, Bushwalker, and Mate, though the winner ultimately turned out to be the “Stockman.”

Given the success of that campaign, Chery South Africa decided to do the same here and created a portal on its website where motorists could submit their ideas.

The carmaker said it received more than 20,000 proposals, and that this has been narrowed down to a list of six finalists, which are as follows:

• BAKKIE
• BRAHMAN
• CHIEF
• GROOTMAN
• NDUNA
• ORCA

Chery announced that voting has been reopened to the public, allowing motorists to choose their favourite name from the above list.

It also stated that the winning entrant will receive R100,000 towards the purchase of any new Chery vehicle and may also have the opportunity to travel to China in October, though this is still subject to final confirmation and the terms and conditions of the competition.

The KP31 will be on display this weekend alongside two other upcoming Chery vehicles, the Q electric hatchback, and the Tiggo V SUV/bakkie hybrid, at the Festival of Motoring.

The festival is being held at the Kyalami Raceway in Midrand, Gauteng, from 28 to 30 August 2026 and will feature Chery and dozens of other brands, all showcasing their latest products.

What is the KP31?

The KP31 represents Chery’s foray into South Africa’s hyper-competitive bakkie landscape, and is set to take on heavy hitters like the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.

The upmarket double cab features a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that combines a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with two electric motors.

This gives it an impressive output of 350kW and 800Nm, which will make it the most powerful bakkie in the country once it goes on sale.

For context, this title is currently held by the BYD Shark 6 Performance, another PHEV, which generates 350kW and 700Nm.

Chery has yet to disclose other aspects of the powertrain, such as the battery size, so it’s unknown how good its electric range is.

Likewise, we still don’t know what it will cost, but it’s fair to assume it will be priced similar to the Shark or other flagship bakkies like the Ford Ranger Raptor.

The carmaker said that the vehicle’s pricing, model selection, and spec sheet will be announced closer to its launch window in late 2026.