Jaecoo SA to launch electric J6 with claimed 500km range

Chinese brand Jaecoo has announced it will expand its SA model range with the electric J6.

First presented at the Chengdu Motor Show in 2023, the bold and boxy compact SUV will be exhibited at this weekend’s Festival of Motoring at Kyalami before its local sales launch in 2025.

A subsidiary brand of Chery, Jaecoo made its SA debut earlier in 2024 with the petrol-powered J7 midsize crossover model, sold through an existing network of 30 Omoda dealerships across SA. Omoda is also a Chery sub brand.

Jaecoo, derived from fusing the German “jäger” (meaning “hunter”) and the English term “cool”, is focused on the adventure off-roader market.

“Equipped with a fully electric powertrain, the new J6 will give visitors to the Festival of Motoring an early opportunity to get up close and personal with the car,” said Shannon Gahagan, national brand and marketing manager Omoda & Jaecoo.

“Although we’re preparing to launch a plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) version of the J7 — which will push the brand into the local new-energy vehicle space — the upcoming J6 represents the next step for our growing line-up as it’s set to arrive as the first fully electric model to wear the Jaecoo badge.”

Featuring a retro-inspired exterior design and boxy proportions, the five-seater J6 is designed with a spacious and versatile cabin with a number of storage spaces. In terms of driving dynamics, the SUV was both comfortable in the city and highly capable off the beaten path, said Gahagan. Like its siblings, it was tougher than a typical crossover but more comfortable than a traditional off-roader, and would help to further a new urban off-roading trend started by the J7, she said.

At 4,433mm in length the J6 is slightly smaller than the 4,500mm J7, and has a 200mm ground clearance. The local model range has not yet been announced but in China, where the J6 is called the iCar 03, the vehicle is available with a choice of single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual motor all-wheel drive. The dual motor version musters 205kW of power and has a claimed 0-100 km/h sprint in 6.5 seconds with top speed limited to 150 km/h.

The range is claimed to be up to 500km with the largest battery option, and it is available with roof-mounted solar panels that can add charge to the battery pack. 

Helped by its relatively affordable pricing, the Jaecoo J7 has enjoyed early sales success in SA and in July achieved 26th position out of 54 automotive makes in SA, ahead of several legacy brands. Jaecoo plans to expand its dealer network to around 50 by the end of 2024, according to Tony Liu, executive deputy GM for Omoda and Jaecoo.