Chery recently celebrated the signing of its first large fleet transaction in South Africa with Hertz Rent A Car, which purchased 100 units of the top-spec Tiggo 4 Pro Elite CVT that will soon be available for rent to the public.
This collaboration between Chery and Hertz follows shortly after the automaker created its dedicated Fleet Sales division for the domestic market.
“We opened our doors earlier this year in response to the overwhelming interest in Chery vehicles, both from small and large corporate buyers,” said Lazola Qungwana, head of the Fleet Sales arm.
“Our dedicated Fleet Sales team offers round-the-clock support to large fleet operators such as Hertz and we are very excited to start our relationship with them.”
As part of its service to vehicle rental fleets, Chery guarantees same-day servicing for vehicles that it receives before 14h00 in the afternoon and it has made special arrangements for weekend services and repairs on Saturdays with dealers.
In partnership with the Automobile Association, the manufacturer further guarantees the transport of any vehicle that needs attention to the nearest Chery dealer, and if a service or repair part is not immediately available, Chery promises that the vehicle will not be stationary for more than five days.
“Hertz’s purchase of 100 vehicles adds to the ever-growing sales roster of the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro. It has become not only our best-selling model range, but it is now also a top 10 best-selling vehicle in South Africa,” said Qungwana.
“We trust that Hertz, as our first rental partner, and their customers will have the fullest possible confidence in Chery as their partner and in Chery’s exemplary aftersales capabilities.”
All in on South Africa
After re-entering the South African automotive landscape in late 2021, Chery has demonstrated its commitment to the country through several investments alongside the establishment of its Fleet Sales division, which has certainly paid off.
The Chinese brand had an explosive first year and eclipsed 10,000 sales within 11 months, which came off the back of its new global sales record of moving more than one million units in the first 10 months of 2022, squarely putting it in the top 10 manufacturers in the country.
The automaker arrived in South Africa with a network of 30 dealers and one model in its portfolio, the Tiggo 4 Pro, and it has since grown to 74 branches nationwide and added the Tiggo 7 Pro and Tiggo 8 Pro to its line-up.
Additionally, Chery has invested in a Gauteng-based parts warehouse that stocks R70-million worth of components at all times in an effort to bolster after-sales support for its local patrons.
In the near future, it will also be making its mark on the new-energy-vehicle (NEV) sector with the introduction of its first hybrid vehicles which are slated to land in the country in the initial six months of 2024.
“For us, each customer who signs an offer to purchase on a new Tiggo Pro is a vote of confidence in our brand and we are very thankful for that,” said Tony Liu, Executive Deputy General Manager of Chery South Africa, during the company’s one-year celebrations.
“We will continue to add dealers in South Africa where we see an opportunity to better support our Chery family. At the same time, we will look at possible expansion in neighbouring countries.”
Keyword: China’s Chery makes another big move in South Africa