Chery South Africa says its Grootman double-cab pickup will be built locally ahead of its planned first-quarter 2027 launch. The model is among several vehicles slated for production at the company’s Rosslyn plant near Pretoria, alongside the Tiggo Cross, Jaecoo J5 and Jetour T1 and T2. Chery acquired the former Nissan facility, where the Navara was made, earlier in 2026; its opening ceremony took place in July.
The first Grootman units are expected to leave the line by mid-2027. During a six-month production ramp-up across the third and fourth quarters, Chery is targeting 15,000 vehicles in total, equivalent to 2,500 per month. The plant is then expected to work toward an annual capacity of 50,000 vehicles.
The Grootman uses a plug-in hybrid system combining a 2.5-litre turbo-diesel, rated at 140 kW and 450 N·m, with an electric motor. Combined output is 350 kW and 800 N·m, sent to all four wheels through a dedicated hybrid transmission. Its 34 kWh LFP battery supports a claimed 96 km of electric-only driving under WLTP; Chery also quotes 1.1 L/100 km combined fuel use and 31.1 kWh/100 km energy consumption. The pickup has selectable 4H and 4L settings, terrain modes, three differential locks and an 80-litre fuel tank.
It measures 5,450 mm long, with a 3,250 mm wheelbase and 247 mm ground clearance. South African specifications have not yet been confirmed. In Australia, where the pickup is called Stockman, listed equipment includes a 15.6-inch infotainment screen, head-up display and 14-speaker audio system. The article also identifies the BYD Shark 6 and GWM P300 PHEV as comparison models.