Earlier this month Chery invited South Africa to help name its KP31 bakkie, which is scheduled to arrive on our shores early next year.
With more than 20,000 submissions received, the Chinese manufacturer announced at the Festival of Motoring that it has whittled the entries down to a final list of six names, with the public now able to vote for their favourite. They are:
- Bakkie;
- Grootman;
- Nduna;
- Chief;
- Orca; and
- Brahman.
Chery says the winning entrant will receive R100,000 towards the purchase of any new Chery vehicle and may also have the opportunity to travel to China in October, subject to final confirmation and the competition’s terms and conditions.
Going up against well-established segment rivals such as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Isuzu D-Max, the KP31 — known as the Stockman in Australia — was developed on a dedicated hybrid platform and combines a 2.5l turbodiesel engine with an electric motor and four-wheel drive.
Chery says preliminary specifications include:
- combined outputs of 350kW and 800Nm;
- an electric-only range of up to 100km on the new European driving cycle (NEDC); and
- a braked towing capacity of 3,500kg.
Its load box measures 1,560mm long, 1,560mm wide and 500mm high, while ground clearance is 247mm when fully loaded. Vehicle-to-load functionality allows the bakkie to power external equipment such as tools and camping appliances, adding another practical use for its hybrid system.
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