Chery South Africa has launched a nationwide public campaign inviting citizens to submit an original name for its upcoming plug-in hybrid bakkie ahead of its planned local market introduction. The winning entrant will receive R100,000 toward the purchase of a Chery vehicle and a potential trip to China.
South Africa’s distinct enthusiasm for the bakkie runs deep. The country is technically the world’s eighth biggest market for pick-ups by volume according to Cars.co.za, while bakkies and other light commercial vehicles collectively account for 27% of the local vehicle market according to Naamsa’s numbers. South Africa even inaugurated its own ‘Bakkie Festival’ at Sondela Nature Reserve in early November, complete with gravel drag racing, a hill climb, obstacle courses, exhibitions, and other fun activities. The country stands alongside Australia and Thailand as a major global market for one-tonners like the Toyota Hilux and Ford Ranger. In a segment historically dominated by top-selling workhorses like the Toyota Hilux—which has held its stranglehold for over four decades, though the Ford Ranger runs it close and actually outsells the Hilux in double cab sales with 14,847 sales up to the end of the third quarter of 2024 versus 11,367 Hilux double cabs—incoming manufacturers face a culturally entrenched audience that views vehicles as family members rather than mere transport.
Rather than imposing a moniker from corporate headquarters, Chery is turning to the local public to christen its newest model.
The Naming Campaign and Prizes
Participants can enter their proposed name through a dedicated website according to the Citizen.
The stakes are high for contestants. The winner receives R100,000 toward a Chery vehicle and may also secure an opportunity to travel to China in October, subject to final terms and conditions according to TimesLIVE. The official winning name will be revealed during Media Day at the Festival of Motoring, where the bakkie will officially be introduced to the local market.
“South Africans are inventive, expressive and rarely short of an opinion, particularly when it comes to their cars. We could have introduced this bakkie with a name decided elsewhere, but we wanted to give South Africans a meaningful role in its story. The winning entry will go beyond the competition itself. It will become part of Chery’s journey in this country.”Verene Petersen, national marketing manager at Chery South Africa, via TimesLIVE
This initiative follows a similar playbook used by Chery’s Australian arm earlier in the year, where public submissions yielded the name Stockman after drawing more than 20,000 entries according to reporting from the Citizen.
Public Reaction and Internet Creativity
Opening the naming floor to South African internet users immediately sparked a wave of humorous and colloquial suggestions. Commentators on social channels tested marketing boundaries with puns reflecting local lifestyle habits.
Suggestions ranged from playful brand variants like Cherry Yaka and Cherry Picker to domestic jabs like Side Chery noted 2oceansvibe.
“Call it a Braailux.”Anonymous commenter, via 2oceansvibe
The comment highlights the deep cultural intersection of bakkies, social gatherings, and local humor in Mzansi, demonstrating the unpredictable nature of crowd-sourced corporate campaigns.
Vehicle Specifications and Market Positioning
Known in its domestic Chinese market as the Rely P3X reported by TimesLIVE or under the KP31 internal code name noted by the Citizen, the double-cab bakkie is positioned for work, family use, and leisure. It arrives to target a segment encompassing school runs, site visits, and weekend escapes according to 2oceansvibe.
Underneath the sheet metal, the South African version utilizes a plug-in hybrid system pairing a 2.5-litre four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with electric motors reported by the Citizen. Chery confirmed in July that the powertrain produces a combined output of 350kW and 800N.m, matching figures associated with competitors like the BYD Shark 6 Performance and positioning the vehicle among the most powerful double-cabs expected locally according to the Citizen.
Launch Timeline and Remaining Unknowns
While Chery South Africa previously said it was ‘pushing hard’ for a launch this year, the vehicle is officially scheduled to reach local dealerships early next year according to the Citizen. Comprehensive specifications, exact pricing, and an exact launch date remain unconfirmed by Chery South Africa, with full details promised closer to the official market introduction reported by TimesLIVE.
