A new Chinese car manufacturer has entered the South African market, introducing a fully electric sedan as its first locally available offering.
JuneYao Auto (JY Auto) was established by the Shanghai-headquartered airline, Juneyao Air, following the acquisition of another Chinese carmaker, Yudo Auto, in 2023.
Following the acquisition of Yudo Auto, JuneYao Auto set up shop in its advanced EV production base in Fujian Province, China.
The plant is one of the pioneers of China’s electric vehicle (EV) sector, and one of the first to receive approval from China’s National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Equipped with workshops for stamping, body welding, painting, final assembly, a vehicle testing and trial production centre, a battery pack workshop, and other auxiliary facilities, the Yudo plant can produce 100,000 vehicles every year.
In 2024, the first JuneYao-branded model – the JY Air – rolled off the production line before being shipped to Thailand. A year later, the Chinese carmaker introduced the sedan to its local market.
The Air, which is available in two guises, is the model that JuneYao has introduced in South Africa.
JuneYao Air in South Africa
Currently, only the entry-level Lite trimline is available in South Africa, with the JuneYao website claiming the higher-end Ultra is “coming soon”.
The sedan arrived with a R599,000 all-inclusive retail price, including a 5-year/150,000km vehicle warranty and an 8-year/800,000km 70% State of Charge battery warranty.
For this price, buyers can expect a 51kWh battery, which can charge from 30-80% in 30 minutes, thanks to 70kW DC charging, with 10-100% AC charging taking slightly more than 5 hours.
This battery feeds a rear-mounted 150kW and 250Nm electric motor for up to 435km on the NEDC cycle, or 355km according to the WLTP standard.
Once it arrives, the Ultra trimline will improve upon this with a 64kWh battery for 440km of WLTP range and 90kW DC charging, which replenishes 50% charge in 21 minutes.
Beyond this, the Ultra’s powertrain will be identical to the Lite trimline, with the only other differences being design and comfort features.
Speaking of which, the Air pays homage to its parent company’s aviation roots, with aerodynamic aesthetics blended with “aviation-grade safety”.
JY Auto claims the Air was designed to emulate the experience of a transoceanic flight, which inspired its minimalist style and “first-class cabin” interior.
The sedan measures 4,550mm long and 1,860mm wide, boasting a 2,800mm wheelbase, 17-inch wheels, and a dome-style roof.
At the front, the electric sedan features 15mm ultra-thin lens headlight modules, with up to 240 built-in LEDs, while OLED taillights, integrated into the Air’s tailgate, feature 270 LEDs and eight 32-pixel OLED light sources.
Paint finishes include six different options, including a body-roof split, which enables up to 10 exterior and interior colour combinations.
Setting the Ultra trimline apart from the Lite is its 19-inch wheels, panoramic sunroof that stretches from the A-pillar to the C-pillar, and exclusive interior trims.
Stepping into the cabin, both derivatives are fitted with JY Auto’s 15.6-inch Sunflower central touchscreen infotainment display, which greets you at entry and can rotate 15 degrees towards the driver or front passenger.
Driver comforts include keyless entry and start, an electric tailgate, automatic air conditioning, USB-A and USB-C charging in the front and rear, an eight-speaker sound system, heated mirrors, and a 360-degree camera and transparent chassis view.
The Ultra trimline expands upon this with a range of synthetic leather interior finishes, with 75% of the interior area wrapped in soft materials, waterfall-style 56-colour ambient lighting, and electric front seats with heating and ventilation.
JuneYao JY Air
Loading ...
