China continues a vehicle onslaught of vehicles into the South African market, the latest to do so being Dongfeng which has just unveiled its compact Box EV to the members of the media. 
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Unlike most players in China’s domestic automotive field, Dongfeng prides itself in being one of the oldest with its date of establishment being 1969. Originally catering to the commercial segment, the automaker eventually broke into the passenger vehicle market and now plans to bring its wealth of knowledge into South Africa with a plethora of cars planned. No stranger to foreign markets and being part of the Fortune 500 company list, Dongfeng has a presence on almost all continents and dozens of countries, including others in Africa. The Chinese automaker has also leveraged joint ventures with more familiar automakers like Peugeot, Citroën, Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Honda which adds to its credentials.
Along with the brand introduction, the automaker also had one of the Box EVs on display, which will be the first to be homologated for the South African market. Pricing hasn’t been confirmed yet but based on size and spec, it will likely compete directly against the GWM Ora, BYD Dolphin, Dayun Yuehu S5 and to a lesser extent, the anticipated Fiat 500 Electric and electric Mini Cooper. To better understand the Box, it is worth adding that like most state-owned Chinese automaker conglomerates Dongfeng possesses a number of subsidiaries and sub-brands including Mhero, Voyah and Nammi, the later of which is where the Box has been taken from. It is still a relatively fresh prospect, having commenced with sales at the beginning of last year and will arrive locally in early 2025.
Related: Chinese Automaker DongFeng Plots Imminent South African Arrival
The compact-sized Box is powered by a single electric motor powering the front wheels to outputs of 70 kW and 160 N.m with a range extender version capable of 430 km on a single charge. Charging is supported via DC fast charging, allowing the battery to go from 30% to 80% in 30 minutes while an eight-minute charge on this infrastructure provides approximately 200 km of range.
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Inside the relatively spacious cabin is a minimalist approach which omits almost all buttons with functionality being transferred to the sizable 12.8-inch infotainment screen. Other niceties on the model presented include a wireless charging pad, surround view camera, heated and vented seats while a plethora of safety features like Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward Collision Warning, Automatic Emergency Braking, Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, and Auto Park Assist are available too.
Pricing is not yet confirmed with homologation still being completed, but it is expected that the Box will retail in the region of R460 000 to R510 000. Local buyers can spec their compact EV with four colours namely Rain Blue, Fantasy Purple, Stone Whiteand Fruit Green.
