Omoda and Jaecoo have certainly hit the ground running, having become the world’s fastest growing automotive brand pairing in the space of just one year.
Both are owned by Chinese auto giant Chery, with Omoda specialising in sporty crossover vehicles and Jaecoo focusing its attention on more upright SUVs.
The latter is now entering the new energy vehicle market, with two new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models having made their debut at a special exhibition at the Beijing Auto Show attended by over 2,000 international guests as well as celebrities and politicians.
The Jaecoo J7 PHEV and the surprisingly potent J8 PHEV models are believed to be on the radar for South African introduction, although timing and other details are not confirmed as yet.
The petrol engine component in both is a 1.5-litre turbocharged direct injection petrol unit that achieves best-in-class thermal efficiency of 44.5%.
In the J7 PHEV the petrol and electric combo produces combined outputs of 255kW and 525Nm.
Jaecoo claims a pure electric range of 88km, and in hybrid mode an overall fuel consumption of 4.9 litres per 100km is said to be achievable. With a full tank and battery, the J7 is said to cover 1,200km before needing a refuel.
Specially designed 19-inch “new energy wheels” helped to reduce the vehicle’s drag coefficient to 0.318.
But while the J7 sounds impressive enough, the Jaecoo J8 PHEV takes the performance game to a whole new level, with front and rear electric motors pairing with the aforementioned 1.5T petrol engine to offer combined outputs of 445kW and 915Nm.
Thanks to that, the generously sized SUV can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in just 5.4 seconds, Jaecoo claims.
Jaecoo is also working on a range of outdoor products that can be powered by the vehicle’s V2L external power function when venturing off the beaten track.
“This year marks a significant phase for Jaecoo’s advancement in off-road new energy, as the brand accelerates the full implementation of its off-road new energy strategy,” Jaecoo said.
“Based on global standards, Jaecoo will continue to develop a complete new energy product matrix, aiming to provide a higher quality of off-road living experience globally and striving to soar once again in the global market.”
In the space of one year, Omoda and Jaecoo have opened shop in more than 40 high-potential markets across the globe. This includes markets like Spain, Chile and Mexico. The Omoda brand launched in South Africa in April 2023, and exactly a year later the ICE version of the J7 has ushered in the Jaecoo brand locally.
The Omoda brand also announced its first European production facility in Spain earlier this year, which will see it commence production in a former Nissan plant from later this year.
"In just one year, we have expanded into over 40 global markets with 873 dealer networks. I can proudly say that we are the fastest expanding car brand in the world," said Shawn Xu, global CEO of Omoda and Jaecoo.
After launching globally in April 2023, it took Omoda and Jaecoo just five months to sell 50,000 units, and just a further three months to break through the 100,000 unit barrier.