Enviro Automotive set for local assembly of electric DFSK delivery vans

Enviro Automotive, the importer and distributor of DFSK's battery-electric vehicles, announced local production plans for commercial electric vehicles (CEVs). 

DFSK (Dongfeng Sokon Automobile) is a Chinese vehicle manufacturer which extended its C-Series delivery vehicle range in 2007 with battery-electric panel vans and bakkies. Both the EC35 panel van and EC31 one-tonne bakkie soon became popular in the last-mile delivery environment in the markets where they were sold.

“The battery-electric EC-Series has an operating cost of only 25c/km, a fraction of its rivals featuring internal combustion engines,” says Gideon Wolvaardt, MD of Enviro Automotive.

After extensive research into the CEV market, Enviro Automotive was set up to import the electric vehicles. One of the first business scenarios Enviro Automotive investigated was to determine the feasibility of a local assembly programme. 

“We have years of experience in the renewable energy market, which influenced our decision to start our local assembly programme with the production of battery packs for electric vehicles. We have fully equipped workshops and production lines that will now be shared with Enviro Automotive. We also have technicians trained in mechanics and electronics, an excellent skill set in the growing electric vehicle market,” says Brink.

Enviro Automotive's first DFSK test units arrived in the country in June 2022. Since then, they have been on trial at various transport operations to collate data about the vehicles' performance in the local delivery environment.

Brink clarifies that the production of battery packs will not only be for their vehicles, but will also assist other vehicle manufacturers offering EV products locally to supply and maintain their battery packs.

“We have received great interest in our EC-Series over the last couple of months, confirming our initial market research that transport operators involved in last-mile deliveries want a cheaper and more sustainable solution for their businesses. Our decision to invest in a local assembly operation indicates our confidence in the growing CEV market,” concludes Wolvaardt.

 Enviro Automotive's local assembly programme will be announced at the opening of the company's new dealership at its head office in Pretoria.

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