New Chery bakkie named Grootman ahead of 2027 South African launch - TimesLIVE

Chery’s new bakkie will be called Grootman when it arrives in SA during the first quarter of 2027.

The name was selected after a recent public naming campaign in which Chery received more than 20,000 submissions. The manufacturer subsequently shortlisted six names — Bakkie, Grootman, Nduna, Chief, Orca and Brahman — and invited the public to vote for their preferred choice.

Grootman emerged as the winning name, reflecting the South African input into the bakkie’s identity.

The Afrikaans word literally means “big man” and is commonly used as a term of respect. Chery says the name also reflects the role bakkies play in SA, where they are used for work, business and family transport.

“Chery brings its Chinese heritage and global engineering expertise to this bakkie, and we wanted South Africans to have a hand in shaping its identity here,” said Jay Jay Botes, general manager for Chery SA.

“Grootman is a word people use with respect, often for someone who has worked hard to get where they are and can be counted on. Having South Africans choose it makes the name particularly meaningful, and we recognise that it comes with expectations we will have to live up to.”

The Grootman — known as the KP31 in the Chinese domestic market — rides on a dedicated hybrid platform and combines a 2.5l four-cylinder turbodiesel engine with electric power and four-wheel drive.

Preliminary specifications include a combined output of 350kW and 800Nm, while the bakkie is claimed to offer an electric-only range of up to 100km on the NEDC cycle.

Chery says the Grootman will also have a 3,500kg braked towing capacity. Its load box measures 1,560mm long, 1,560mm wide and 500mm high, while ground clearance is at least 230mm when fully loaded.

The hybrid system supports Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) functionality, allowing the bakkie to supply electricity to external equipment such as power tools and camping appliances.

Chery is yet to release final specifications, pricing or details of the local model line-up. These are expected to be announced closer to the Grootman’s launch next year.