Geely Riddara Arrives in South Africa With a New Take on the Electric Bakkie

• Geely Auto South Africa (GASA) has officially launched Riddara, Geely Auto Group’s new-energy bakkie brand, in South Africa
• The RD6 is built on the M.A.P Platform, described as China’s first native new-energy bakkie architecture, developed from Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture (SEA)
• Three derivatives are available: Aspire Econ 2WD (R611,900), Aspire Econ 4WD (R681,900) and Apex RD6 4WD (R781,900)
• The flagship Apex RD6 4WD produces a combined 315 kW and 595 Nm, with a 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds and a claimed 424 km NEDC range
• Payload reaches up to 1,030 kg and towing capacity up to 3,000 kg on the flagship model
• Ownership package includes a 6-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty, 8-year/200,000 km battery warranty, 6-year/120,000 km service plan and 5-year unlimited roadside assistance
• A launch offer for the first 200 units adds an extra year and 50,000 km to the warranty, and an extra year and 20,000 km to the service plan

Geely Auto South Africa has officially introduced Riddara, Geely Auto Group’s new-energy bakkie brand, to the South African market. Built as a dedicated new-energy bakkie rather than an electrified diesel platform, the Riddara RD6 combines the practicality and capability expected of a bakkie with the refinement, performance and driving experience of a modern SUV, under a straightforward philosophy: function as a bakkie, drive as an SUV.

In a market where the bakkie is more than just a vehicle, Riddara believes the time is right to challenge convention. “The Riddara changes the conversation around electric bakkies,” said Greg Maruszewski, COO of Geely Auto South Africa. “Electric vehicles have always had the potential to deliver exceptional performance, but the Riddara demonstrates that this doesn’t have to come at the expense of the qualities that make a bakkie so versatile. It delivers the performance and dynamic response of a high-performance car, but it can also carry more than a tonne, tow up to three tonnes and tackle demanding terrain. For us, that combination is what makes the Riddara genuinely different.”

Riddara stands as the only bakkie brand under Geely Auto Group, drawing on the company’s broader engineering and technology ecosystem. The RD6 is built on the M.A.P Platform, described as China’s first native new-energy bakkie architecture and developed from Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture, engineered specifically to combine passenger-vehicle refinement with bakkie capability. The result is a quiet, refined and spacious cabin with a low centre of gravity and instant electric torque, while retaining the structural strength, load-carrying capability and towing ability expected of a serious bakkie.

“It’s a bakkie that drives like an SUV but performs like a bakkie. We aim to reshape the way South Africa experiences bakkies, without the theft risk or operating costs that has become synonymous with other bakkies,” said Jateen Daya, Head of Product at Geely Auto South Africa.

At the top of the South African range, the Apex RD6 4WD delivers performance that would be unexpected from a traditional bakkie. Its dual-motor all-wheel-drive system produces a combined 315 kW and 595 Nm, enabling a 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds under ideal operating conditions with Highway Terrain tyres. The system can switch between 2WD and 4WD in as little as 20 milliseconds, intelligently distributing torque according to driving conditions and available traction.

For drivers venturing beyond the tar, the RD6 offers dedicated Economy, Comfort, Sport, Sand, Mud and Off-road drive modes, backed by 225 mm of ground clearance and an 815 mm wading depth. Its bakkie credentials extend to a payload of up to 1,030 kg and a towing capacity of up to 3,000 kg on the flagship model.

Riddara’s electric architecture adds a further dimension to the traditional bakkie formula. The RD6 is fitted with a 73 kWh battery, with the flagship Apex 4WD offering a claimed 424 km NEDC range. The vehicle’s high-voltage electrical system carries an IP67 rating, while its power battery is rated IP68, adding confidence when tackling conditions involving sand or water.

DC fast charging of up to 110 kW allows for rapid recharging, while 6 kW Vehicle-to-Load capability turns the RD6 into a mobile source of electricity, letting owners power equipment, appliances and outdoor activities, or provide backup power during load-shedding.

Inside, the RD6 offers an SUV-like driving position, a 14.6-inch infotainment display, a 10.2-inch digital driver display, wireless charging and, on the Apex derivative, an eight-speaker audio system. The rear cabin has been designed with adults in mind, with flat-floor architecture creating a more accommodating second row.

Premium touches on the Apex include a panoramic roof, leather upholstery and ventilated front seats, reinforcing Riddara’s positioning as a lifestyle vehicle rather than simply a workhorse. Storage has also been treated as a priority, with 48 litres of space under the seats and a further 70 litres in the frunk.

Riddara launches in South Africa with three derivatives. The Aspire Econ 2WD produces 180 kW and 309 Nm and is priced at R611,900, while the Aspire Econ 4WD steps up to 280 kW and 485 Nm at R681,900. The range-topping Apex RD6 4WD produces 315 kW and 595 Nm and is priced at R781,900. The two 4WD derivatives use the 73 kWh battery, with claimed NEDC ranges of 424 km for the Apex RD6 4WD and 390 km for the Aspire Econ 4WD, while the Aspire Econ 2WD uses a 63 kWh battery for a claimed 369 km.

The Aspire is available in black, white or silver exterior finishes with a black interior, while the Apex extends to green, blue, silver, grey and white exteriors, paired with Green or Tan and Refined Black interior options.

The range is backed by a comprehensive ownership package, including a 6-year/150,000 km vehicle warranty, an 8-year/200,000 km battery warranty, a 6-year/120,000 km service plan, 5-year unlimited roadside assistance, an extensive dealer network and fully trained technical personnel. A launch offer for the first 200 units adds an extra year and 50,000 km to the vehicle warranty, along with an extra year and 20,000 km to the service plan.

“This aftercare commitment forms an important part of GASA’s strategy to ensure that Riddara is supported as a genuine long-term proposition rather than simply introduced as a new vehicle,” the company said.

Riddara’s design deliberately departs from the traditional visual language of a conventional bakkie. Its broad, upright stance, clean surfacing, distinctive LED lighting and integrated cargo bed combine the presence of a bakkie with the proportions and visual sophistication of an SUV. With an overall length of 5,260 mm, a width of 1,900 mm, a height of 1,880 mm and a 3,120 mm wheelbase, the RD6 offers substantial road presence while maintaining a 6.6 m turning radius.

For decades, the South African bakkie market has been shaped by a familiar formula built around diesel engines, ladder frames and traditional bakkie design. Riddara does not attempt to turn a passenger car into a bakkie, nor does it simply swap a diesel engine for an electric motor. Instead, it has been engineered from the outset around a dedicated new-energy bakkie architecture, combining the strengths of an electric vehicle with the functionality South Africans expect from a bakkie.

“For Geely Auto South Africa, that makes the Riddara more than the launch of another electric vehicle. It represents an opportunity to start a new conversation about what the South African bakkie can be,” said Maruszewski.

Get in touch today to find out more about the Geely Riddara RD6