South Africa

On March 13, Chery International introduced the OMODA brand in South Africa, making it the first country on the African continent to offer this new brand to motorists. The first model from OMODA, the OMODA C5, will become available in mid-April and will be sold through 30 pre-selected dealers covering all major metros and cities. OMODA C5 is built on the Chery Group’s T1X platform.
Among the many innovations inside this five-door cross-over SUV is ambient lighting with near-infinite color combinations, a clean center console with intelligent interactive switchgear and wireless charging, and dual integrated 10.25-inch screens that smoothly incorporate the vehicle and entertainment information.

Based on OMODA South Africa press release

On March 10, Nissan announced the launch of its innovative e-POWER and e-4ORCE technologies in Africa, during the first-ever all-electric Formula E race event in South Africa. For Nissan, these technologies are an essential part of the practical transition for Africa from internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EVs). Beyond the introduction of technologies like e-POWER, Nissan collaborates with different stakeholders across the continent at different levels in building policy frameworks to support a future of electric mobility for Africa.
Nissan's e-POWER combines modern EV technology with an efficient petrol engine to charge the lightweight, lithium-ion battery pack when necessary. The electric motor delivers power directly to the wheels using energy stored in the battery pack, while the petrol engine is used for charging the battery pack or powering the electric motor.
e-4ORCE is Nissan's most advanced all-wheel-drive technology for electrified powertrains. It integrates Nissan's electric propulsion and 4WD control technologies with its chassis-control technology for a huge leap in acceleration, cornering, and braking performance.

Based on Nissan press release

On March 8, Stellantis announced that it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) to develop a manufacturing facility in South Africa.
The aim is to complete the manufacturing plant by 2025 in a South African Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
“The manufacturing site in South Africa will be a new building block in our industrialization strategy that includes the plan to sell one million vehicles in the region by 2030 with 70% regional production autonomy and will bring us closer to our customers’ needs in the region,” said Mr. Samir Cherfan, Stellantis Middle East and Africa Chief Operating Officer.
The new plant is expected to produce vehicles for both the local market and for export.
Though no models were announced, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares noted strong results from Jeep and Ram in the region during a recent earnings call.
Overall, Tavares noted, “We nearly doubled our profit against 2021, which demonstrates that there is a significant profitable growth potential in Middle East and Africa. And we have been making many, many decisions to improve the sourcing in Africa for Africa and the Middle East".
Stellantis currently markets the Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Opel, Peugeot, Citroen and Jeep brands in South Africa.
Possibilities also exist for the Ram brand, which is set to expand its line of mid-size pickups in South America.

(Stellantis press release on March 8, 2023) (Detroit News article on March 8, 2023)