BAIC Bets Big on South Africa with New B30 SUV Assembly

According to a Reuters report, Beijing Automotive Group (BAIC) will start assembling its B30 off-road SUV in South Africa’s Eastern Cape from January, a move that underscores the company’s ambition to strengthen its foothold in the region.

Chinese automakers are increasingly looking to Africa as global headwinds intensify. A bruising price war in China and tougher trade rules in Europe and the United States have prompted brands such as BAIC, BYD and Chery—now among 18 Chinese marques active in South Africa—to seek growth in emerging markets.

BAIC’s Gqeberha facility currently produces the B40 Plus and Beijing X55 Plus SUVs. The new B30 will be offered in petrol and hybrid versions and assembled using a completely knocked-down (CKD) process, which involves building vehicles from numerous smaller components to maximise local content. This represents a shift from the semi-knocked-down (SKD) approach used for existing models, which relies on large, pre-assembled imported parts.

Industry giants like Toyota and Ford have long urged new entrants to deepen local manufacturing, aligning with South Africa’s automotive masterplan to produce 1.4 million vehicles annually by 2035 and boost domestic supply chains.

At the launch event, BAIC South Africa CEO Yang Yixin reaffirmed the company’s commitment: “We will continue to roll out new models while steadily expanding local production and creating value.”