New Zealand’s newest vehicle brand sees an ambitious Chinese marque joining forces with a  long-established New Zealand automotive retail and distribution company.

With the initial focus on three battery-electric light-duty truck models, JAC Motors is launching with two dealerships, Southern Autos Manukau and Avon City in Christchurch.

The official New Zealand launch took place on March 26 with JAC Motors Global executives, including its Global Chairman Mr. Xiang Xingchu, in attendance for the ribbon cutting at the Southern Autos showroom.

The brand’s commitment to the Kiwi market is in partnership with the Colonial Motor Company (CMC), with over 100 years of automotive history in New Zealand.

Following the launch of the N range of battery electric trucks, two further models powered by Cummins diesel engines will join the line-up later this year.

The JAC EV models offers three wheelbase choices and GVMs from 6.0t up to 9.0t, offering multiple configurations to suit different business needs. 

Key specifications of the EV include the use of CATL-produced lithium iron-phosphate battery packs with 107kWh capacity. These have achieved over 200km driving range while fully loaded in testing on New Zealand city roads. Fast charging (from 20 to 80% battery capacity) takes an estimated 48 minutes.

There are two EV drivetrain options offering 130kW and 171kW outputs with a two-speed gearbox. There are three stages of Electric Regeneration, while an ePTO (electric power take off) allows for a wide range of uses and bodies for the trucks.

Three wheelbase options – 3365mm, 3845mm and 4475mm – are being offered and the units on show at the launch event were in both flat deck and bare cab/chassis configuration. JAC dealers will offer `turn-key’ box body and tipper body options in the near future.

The upcoming N60 (5.5t GVM) and N90 (9.0t GVM) diesel models are powered by Cummins diesel engines – a 3.0-litre 160hp unit for the N60 and 4.0-litre 170hp for the higher capacity model. The N60 and N60 EV models can be driven on a Class 1 license.

The standard equipment level includes Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) with Lane Departure Warning System and Autonomous Emergency Braking.  An 8-inch touchscreen provides Reverse Camera and Infotainment System plus there is an electric park brake and easy gear selector.

JAC Motors is launching with a 5-Year/200,000km warranty and a nationwide network will support the brand from 13 locations, with more planned. These locations are linked to existing CMC businesses, including 11 Southpac Trucks service centres.

Established in 1964 and bolstering its growth with commercial partnerships including with Volkswagen group, the JAC Motors brand is one of the top commercial vehicle brands in China, selling innovative passenger and commercial vehicles in over 100 countries worldwide.

During his speech at Southern Autos, Mr. Xiang Xingchu said JAC produced 592,000 vehicles in 2023, an 18.4% increase on the previous year. He says the company currently invests 5% of revenue in R&D and plans to lift that investment level to 8-9% of revenue. The company has 30 new products planned for launch in the next five years.

He said JAC Motors intends to become a mainstream part of the New Zealand market while CMC Chairman Ashley Waugh said the 106-year-old company doesn’t rush into new ventures but expects JAC to develop into a significant part of CMC business.

As well as commercial vehicles, JAC Motors also produces passenger cars, SUVs and utility models which provides scope for the brand to compete across multiple segments of the New Zealand market in the future as export products are developed.