China’s Geely plans to launch its first internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle in South Africa, part of a broader push to expand its lineup there to about 10 models by the end of 2026, a senior local executive said.
The move marks a strategic shift for the automaker, which entered South Africa late last year with two new energy vehicles (NEVs) – battery electric and plug-in hybrid models – targeting early adopters in a market still dominated by petrol cars.
“We thought it necessary for us to bring in an ICE model,” Quentin Oppermann, the general manager of Geely South Africa’s Galaxy brand, told Reuters on Tuesday.
While the company remains focused on electrification, Oppermann said adding a conventional engine model would broaden its appeal and help it compete with established brands.
“If we want to really become a player in the market that’s going to take on the likes of Chery, VW, Suzuki or Toyota, which are all still very much ICE units, we do need to have one or two offerings in that range as well,” he said.
NEV adoption in South Africa remains limited due to high prices and patchy charging infrastructure in smaller towns.
Despite that, Geely has seen strong demand for its electric vehicles, particularly the E2, launched in April as the country’s most affordable EV, Oppermann said. The first batch sold out in two weeks, with the second already fully booked.
The sell-out points to rising consumer interest as fuel prices climb and charging infrastructure improves.
Geely plans to accelerate its rollout with additional launches in the coming months, aiming to grow its local portfolio to about 10 models by year-end from three currently.
To support the expansion, the company is rapidly building its retail network, with 33 dealerships already operating nationwide. It plans to increase that to about 50 by the end of the year while pacing further growth.
