FAW Jiefang's South Africa Plant Reaches 25,000 Vehicles, Plans Capacity Rise to 8,000 by 2028
The 25,000th vehicle has rolled off FAW Jiefang's Coega plant in South Africa, marking a decade-long production climb and a new milestone for Africa's commercial vehicle industry.
- 25,000
- 600 million rand
- 8,000 units
- 2,500
What Happened
FAW Jiefang's Coega plant in South Africa produced its 25,000th vehicle in August 2026. The plant began production in July 2014 with a total investment of 600 million rand, jointly funded by FAW and the China-Africa Development Fund, and is described as one of the largest foreign-invested projects in South Africa's commercial vehicle manufacturing industry. The milestone marks an important step for Africa's commercial vehicle manufacturing industry.
25,000vehicles
Rolled off the line in August 2026, 11 months after the plant reached 20,000 units.
1,000th vehicle rolls off the line
Cumulative production surpasses 5,000 units
Cumulative production crosses 10,000 units
Plant reaches 20,000 units
25,000th vehicle produced; leap from 20,000 took 11 months
FAW Jiefang has been deepening its presence in southern Africa with locally adapted products for demanding long-haul conditions. Heavy-duty models led by the JH6 emphasise total cost of ownership through fuel economy, durability and a service network covering southern Africa, winning trust from local fleet operators. In March 2026, the all-new flagship J7 was launched for the premium logistics market.
- 20 production equipment upgrades completed as of early June
- Digital production project in the final assembly workshop is running
- Digital upgrade of the logistics system planned for the second half of the year
- Annual production capacity to rise from 5,000 to 8,000 units by 2028
- New training facility has about 2,500 people trained and certified
- Program drew positive feedback from South African government and trade unions
The Coega plant has made FAW Jiefang the brand with the largest export scale among South Africa's commercial vehicle manufacturers. Its products serve the domestic market and are exported to Southern African Development Community (SADC) member states and Indian Ocean island regions under African regional trade agreements. FAW Jiefang says it will continue increasing localization investment to deepen its presence in Africa's commercial vehicle market.
Why this matters
This milestone shows how a Chinese commercial vehicle maker has built a durable local manufacturing base in South Africa, investing 600 million rand and training about 2,500 people. It gives southern African fleet operators a domestically built heavy-duty option that claims lower total cost of ownership, and it makes FAW Jiefang the region's largest exporter among South Africa's commercial vehicle manufacturers.
Terms in This Story
- TCO
- Total cost of ownership — a measure of all costs of owning and operating a vehicle over its life, including purchase price, fuel, maintenance and resale value.
- SADC
- Southern African Development Community — a regional intergovernmental organization of southern African countries promoting economic cooperation and integration.
- Commercial vehicle
- A vehicle designed for transporting goods or passengers for business, such as trucks, buses and vans.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.