The BAIC Beijing BJ30 has been confirmed for a South African introduction in 2025.
Speaking to SABC News directly from Beijing, China, a spokesperson for the manufacturer said that the BJ30 is earmarked for a domestic rollout in September next year and will be BAIC’s first new-energy vehicle in the country.
BAIC South Africa was first established in 2016 as a joint venture between Chinese state-owned Beijing Automotive Industry Co (BAIC for short) and the South African Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) – the former holding a 65% and the latter a 35% stake in the business.
The company is currently setting up a manufacturing facility in the Coega Special Economic Zone in the Eastern Cape which is already busy developing the Beijing X55 crossover for the local market, with the Foton Tunland G7 bakkie to join the production line in the coming years as the factory expands.
The BJ30 is set to be BAIC’s fourth offering in the local market alongside the Beijing X55, the B40 Plus, and the upcoming B80.
BAIC Beijing X55 Plus
What to expect
The BAIC Beijing BJ30 is billed as a light off-road vehicle with aesthetics similar to something like the now-discontinued Jeep Renegade or the upcoming Jetour T2 which is also from China.
As per CarNewsChina, the BAIC is available in both front-wheel (FWD) and all-wheel drive (AWD) and features a load-bearing body structure as opposed to the body-on-frame configuration employed by more serious 4x4s such as the Toyota Fortuner.
It measures 4,730mm from nose to tail, 1,910mm from left to right, and 1,790mm from roof to floor with a wheelbase of 2,820mm, putting the BJ30 in the same ballpark as the Ford Territory.
The crossover’s ground clearance is pegged at 215mm and its approach and departure angles at 25 and 30 degrees, respectively. As standard, it rides on 18-inch alloy wheels with higher-tier variants sporting 19-inch rims.
Perhaps the most important selling point of the BJ30 will be its powertrain selection.
Across the pond, it is sold in pure combustion as well as hybrid options. It has thus far been confirmed that the hybrid will come to South Africa and it’s not out of the question that the standard petrol model will, too.
The FWD petrol derivatives are equipped with a turbocharged 1.5-litre drive unit delivering 138kW and 305Nm, in partnership with a seven-speed automatic gearbox. Top speed for this setup is listed at 190km/h.
Meanwhile, the AWD entries make do with the same petrol engine meshing with a front-mounted electric motor for a considerable system output of 301kW and 685Nm.
This model sees a unique two-speed hybrid gearbox but despite its higher grunt, it achieves a lower top speed of 170km/h partly due to the added weight of the semi-electric architecture.
The AWD hybrid also brings an all-terrain control system with four off-road driving modes.
As with most cars from the the East, the BJ30 provides a host of luxuries inside the passenger compartment.
Depending on the model, it comes with a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, a 14.6-inch infotainment display, leather upholstery, and Level 2 advanced driver assistance systems.
It remains to be seen whether the newcomer will be badged the Beijing BJ30 once it reaches domestic showrooms.
The B40 Plus and the B80 are called the BJ40 and BJ80 in China, respectively, indicating that the BJ30 might just be marketed as the B30 in South Africa.
BAIC Beijing BJ30
Join the discussion