Newly launched Arcfox keen on entering bakkie segment

BAIC-owned new energy brand has indicated that it plans on debuting 20 models over the coming year, with some likely to debut in South Africa. Arcfox has become the latest Chinese brand to announce its interest in producing a bakkie as part of its expanding model portfolio. Incoming model roll-out Founded nine years ago as the premium new energy vehicle division of BAIC, the brand relaunched itself in 2020 in China, and currently produces sedans, SUVs, hatchbacks, and MPVs powered exclusively by electric or range-extending electric powertrains. Its global line-up comprises nine models; the announcement of a bakkie will form part of its roll-out of at least 20 models over the coming years, including in South Africa. T1 launches BAIC’s Arcfox brand in South Africa. Picture: Charl Bosch BAIC International’s Vice-President, Qi Xiaohui, told the media at the market launch of the T1 last week that Arcfox is looking at the bakkie segment, despite declining to mention any further details. Qi did, however, state that the brand has the capacity to produce not only new energy vehicles, but again stopped short of revealing any further details. At the same time, no timeline of the new addition was disclosed, whether it would be an in-house project or a shared model with Foton, which currently rates as the only BAIC-owned brand to produce a bakkie. More coming Debuting solely as an EV, the T1 will lead to the expansion of other Arcfox models as mentioned, though again, no details of any other present products sold in China were mentioned as coming to South Africa. However, with the T1 now launched, expect more information to emerge once into the new year.