The bid to bring F1 racing to South Africa
Neal Froneman of Blue Mountain Racing on the R6.7bn ‘destination’ development – because Formula 1 ‘is no longer just a race’ – and Cape Town being a place the rest of the world wants to visit. ‘We've acquired 600ha with a beautiful backdrop.’
At the Kyalami Festival of Motoring in August, Dongfeng unveiled a pair of Kaiyi models, the e-Qute 04 hatch and the X3 compact SUV known as the Showjet, which are expected to become South Africa's most affordable electric vehicle range. Dongfeng, in association with E Auto Motor South Africa, will be the sole importer and distributor of the Kaiyi brand, which was previously distributed under the Cowin Auto brand.
The e-Qute 04, introduced in China three years ago, is set to be renamed EQ04 and will have a sticker price between R280 000 and R300 000. The EQ04, with dimensions of 3 725mm in length, 2 520mm in wheelbase, 1 608mm in height, and 1 700mm in width, boasts a 28kWh battery pack that drives a single 40kW/110Nm electric motor on the front axle. Claiming a range of 310km based on China's CLTC cycle, the EQ04 is reported to offer between 237 and 960 litres of boot space.
Following shortly after the EQ04, the X3/Showjet will be referred to as EQ05, with a projected price range of R520 000 to R550 000. The EQ05, featuring the same frontal design as the Jetour X50e sold in Indonesia, has a length of 4 443mm, a wheelbase of 2 632mm, a height of 1 646mm, and a width of 1 831mm. It will employ a 59.6kWh battery pack powering a single 120kW/280Nm electric motor, promising a range of 410km and a 0-100km/h sprint time of 8.9 seconds.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
