LDV South Africa isn’t courting buyers whose fathers and grandfathers drove the same bakkie brand. CEO Gerhard Moolman wants the fleet owner replacing five vehicles who will try one LDV.
Moolman, who took over in March after 23 years with Land Rover dealer groups, told Watts & Wheels‘ William Kelly that the brand’s slow start since launching locally in 2024 has been written off. “What happened before is school fees,” he said.
LDV, a name inherited from British van maker Leyland DAF Vans, is owned by China’s state-controlled SAIC Motor. It launched with the T60 double cab alone and now sells close to 10 nameplates, from panel vans to the Terron 9 luxury double cab.
A recent shipment of just over 200 vehicles was sold before it docked, Moolman said, and one fleet customer has ordered 50 units from the next. LDV has 30 dealers countrywide, plus a parts and training centre in Gauteng.
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First-half 2026 sales already exceed the full-year 2025 total, he said, and LDV expects to triple its 2025 volumes by December. He gave no unit numbers.
The newest addition is the T60 Utility single cab, launched in August from R299 900 for the 4×2 and R358 900 for the 4×4. It has a 120kW engine, a payload of up to 1 170kg, dual airbags and steel wheels, which fleets prefer because they can be beaten straight.
The local range is diesel only, but electric double cabs are on their way for certification testing. SAIC also builds electric panel vans and buses with up to 30 seats, which LDV may consider for South Africa. Moolman expects fleets on fixed 200km daily routes to choose smaller, lighter batteries over maximum range.
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