These were the five biggest stories in South Africa’s transport industry this week.
Good news for petrol prices in South Africa
While petrol prices saw a substantial jump in February, motorists should be able to look forward to lower costs as the year goes on.
Old Mutual is expecting that inflation and oil prices will drop in 2024, which should in turn lead to lower interest rates and final prices at the pump.
At the same time, it is predicted that the USA will slash interest rates and the dollar will stabilize or drop in value, creating a better rand-exchange rate for purchasing fuel.
China’s Chery announces 2 new SUVs for South Africa – Dates and details
Chery has announced that it will launch two new SUVs within the next few months.
The first will be a new Tiggo 8 Pro Max with all-wheel drive which should arrive in March, while the second will be a new entry-level version of the Tiggo 7 Pro Max coming “shortly thereafter.”
These models are being brought in to capitalize on the success of the existing Max derivatives, which were a major reason behind why the brand cracked the top 10 best-sellers in January.
Ford Ranger Platinum and Tremor pricing and specifications revealed
Ford has revealed the pricing and equipment lists for the upcoming Ranger Tremor and Platinum.
The former will start at R977,500 and use the 2.0-litre bi-turbo-diesel engine, while the latter goes for R1,119,000.
The Tremor is a special-edition model based on the XLT and features similar equipment to the Wildtrak X, while the Platinum is the new flagship of the bakkie series with a luxury theme.
South Africa is getting the world’s fastest electric-car chargers
A South African company, Zero Carbon Charge (ZCC), has signed a R1-billion deal to install new electric car “superchargers” around the country.
The chargers are being bought from China and will be installed at the 120 charging stations ZCC has already started building along key routes.
The charging points operate at a rate of 480kW, making them more than two times faster than even the most powerful stations currently found in the country.
Zero Carbon Charge Network Partner Map
New VW T-Cross for South Africa – Launch date and standard features
VW has revealed the spec sheet for the incoming facelifted T-Cross – the brand’s entry-level SUV.
The T-Cross is one of several projects the company has planned for this year, alongside other introductions like the updated Touareg and next-gen Tiguan.
The German brand is also planning to build a new budget SUV specifically for South Africa, and this could potentially lead to the development of a compact bakkie twin as well.
Join the discussion