Jaecoo has officially announced that the electric J5 is coming to South Africa.
The Chinese automaker, which is part of the Chery Group, confirmed that the battery-powered SUV will arrive in showrooms in the third quarter of 2026, much sooner than anticipated.
When TopAuto travelled with Omoda Jaecoo to China earlier this year, a company representative told us that the electric J5 and C5 were scheduled to launch in 2027.
This was because the brand was planning to expand its hybrid roster first, focusing on both traditional hybrids (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
However, the company seems to have had a change of heart, as the J5 electric vehicle (EV) is set to appear within the next few months.
This may be due to several reasons; first, the recent petrol and diesel price shocks have likely caused many South Africans to finally start considering EVs that they otherwise wouldn’t have.
Another strong possibility is the fact that BYD finally started reporting its sales to Naamsa, revealing that there is, in fact, a growing market for EVs in South Africa – contrary to what some other carmakers have claimed.
What to expect
Regardless of the reason for Jaecoo’s decision, motorists can look forward to getting their hands on the J5 EV in the near future.
This will be the first fully-electric model from Jaecoo, though it won’t be the first EV from a Chery brand in South Africa.
This is because the company recently launched iCAUR, a new brand offering two retro-themed Adventure SUVs with electric powertrains.
It remains to be seen whether the J5 will be cheaper than iCAUR’s models, the cheapest of which starts at R519,900.
Jaecoo has yet to confirm the specifications for the South African-bound units, but we can look at the overseas models to get a sense of what’s heading our way.
In Australia, the J5 features a single front-mounted electric motor that produces 155kW and 288Nm, letting it accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 7.7 seconds.
For comparison, the standard J5, with its 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine, generates 115kW and 230Nm, so the electric version is significantly more powerful.
The e-motor gets its juice from a 58.9kWh battery, which provides a WLTP range of approximately 400km.
The equipment sheet is another unknown factor, though it’s fair to assume that the J5 EV will be positioned as the flagship of the range.
This means it should come with all of the kit found on the current range-topping J5 Inferno, such as 18-inch alloy wheels, LED headlights, roof rails, a moonroof, ambient lighting, dual-zone climate control, and a wireless charger.
The top-end J5 also features leather upholstery, a leather multifunction steering wheel, eight speakers, electric front seats with ventilation, voice commands, an 8-inch digital driver display, and a 13.2-inch infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Presumably, the EV will also offer advanced assistance and safety functions, such as adaptive cruise control, a speed limiter, tyre pressure monitoring, traction control, hill start and descent control, a 540-degree camera, front and rear parking sensors, rear collision warning, lane-change assist, blind spot detection, and rear cross-traffic alert.
Pricing for the current J5 line-up runs from R339,900 to R479,900, so expect the electric version to be priced north of the latter figure.
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