It’s official, Grootman is the name chosen for Chery’s first double-cab plug-in hybrid bakkie, due in early 2027.
The Chery bakkie will be hitting South African showrooms in the first quarter of 2027 and after a lengthy public naming campaign, it has been called the Grootman. That’s far more interesting than its product code of KP31. It appears every market has a local name, for instance Australia gets ‘Stockman’ nomenclature.
The Chery Grootman has a nice ring to it, adopting South African kasi slang. Loosely defined as ‘big man’ but also used as a term of respect.
As a reminder, Chery’s first bakkie boasts some impressive technology. Assembled on a dedicated hybrid setup and powered by a 2.5-litre turbocharged diesel engine with electric assist, the Grootman’s outputs are eye-openingly big. With 350 kW and 800 Nm, this should be quite the powerhouse.
It has other interesting claims such as 100 km of electric-only range, a tow rating of up to 3.5 tonnes and a ground clearance of 230 mm. It also has vehicle-to-load functionality, allowing things like camping equipment and power tools to be plugged in.
When will the Chery Grootman go on sale in South Africa?
The Grootman goes on sale in SA in early 2027, with final pricing, line-up and specifications to be confirmed closer to the time.
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David Taylor
Having contributed to multiple motoring titles as well helping run the public relations machine of the Johannesburg International Motor Show, Dave has experience in both sides of the motoring industry. He's based in the Western Cape and is responsible for the performance testing, photography & weekly YouTube news for Cars.co.za.
