TGIF! Dongfeng Forthing confirms ambitious Aussie launch plans led by cut-price Friday medium electric SUV
Australians will have a cheap new Chinese electric brand to consider with the arrival of Dongfeng Forthing as soon as late 2025.
Despite not yet appointing a local distribution partner, the subsidiary of the giant state-owned Dongfeng auto conglomerate says it will launch the Friday battery electric and range extender SUV and the U-Tour full-size plug-in hybrid people-mover at the Sydney International EV Motor Show October 31-November 2.
Two other unnamed models could also be on the launch roster and Forthing’s business plans foresees the addition of one to two new models per year. One candidate could be the Forthing S7 sedan unveiled for Europe at the Munich motor show this week.
A Forthing ute is in the early stages of development and will be a candidate for Australian sale.
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While a medium SUV, the Friday is expected to be priced below the compact BYD Atto 3, which starts at $39,990 plus on-road costs.
While Forthing says the Friday is close to the Australian Design Rule certification, it will not also be submitted for an ANCAP rating.
Ambitiously, Forthing aims to have first vehicles delivered to Australian buyers before Christmas.
It plans to sell its vehicles by an orthodox dealer network, which it hopes to start at five to 10 and eventually grow to 50 outlets.
If it does succeed in its current ambitious timeline, Forthing will join at least two other Chinese brands – Denza and GAC – launching in Australia in late 2025.
It will arrive at a time when Chinese brands are having unprecedented sales success led by BYD, GWM, MG and GWM
But Dongfeng Liuzhou (which sells Forthing passenger cars and Chenglong commercial vehicles)) right hand drive deputy director import and export company, Kim Qin, told EV Central Forthing’s sales ambitions were more modest.
“Not everybody’s BYD,” she said. “Just like not everybody is Tesla, not everybody is Apple.
“But I think we still have our space … we still have our location in this market.”
If you reckon you’ve heard of the Forthing Friday before, it’s most likely because of our report last month that little known Sydney EV specialist iGZEV was keen to bring the Friday here.
But after meeting with Dongfeng Forthing in China last week, it appears iGZEV is an outsider to get the gig.
Instead, Qin said discussions were underway with Ateco Group, the local distributor of Renault, Alpine, Maserati, LDV and RAM trucks in Australia and more brands including BYD in New Zealand.
Qin said another option under consideration was the original BYD importer to Australia. While she didn’t name the entity, that was Nexport in the days when it was controlled by Luke Todd.
Todd went on to split with Nexport, but retain the BYD distributorship via EV Direct. That company only recently handed over Australian distribution rights to the BYD factory.
Nexport these days is best known for building zero emissions buses.
Qin said the local Forthing distributor would be decided imminently.
“We have to launch in the end of October so we have to have to decide in this month.
“We have already done some research in Australia. We talked to many companies in Australia at the moment already.”
Contacted to ask about its potential involvement with Forthing, an Ateco spokesman told EV Central by text:
“The Ateco Group is regularly in discussions with emerging and existing brands regarding the distribution of motor vehicles in Australia and New Zealand, but does not comment on discussions, proposals or speculation.”
The Nexport Group has also been contacted for comment.
Todd rejected any links with Dongfeng: “I can 100 per cent categorically say that I, or any company I manage will not be representing Dongfeng. I am 100 per cent loyal for life to BYD.
“BYD is the behemoth and we have just signed a 10 year extension under EV Dealer Group which is the JV between EVDirect and Eagers. I am the Executive Chairman of this JV.
Forthing is expanding into Australia as part of Dongfeng’s Liuzhou’s Riding the Wind business strategy, which plans to export 16 new models globally and generate 300,000 overseas sales by 2030.
The 16 new models break down as five BEVs, three hybrids, five plug-in hybrids and three range extenders.
The Forthing Friday is a 4600mm long, 1860mm wide, 1680mm tall five-seat SUV underpinned by a 2715mm wheelbase.
The EV is powered by a 150kW/340Nm e-motor driving the front wheels. It has 64.4kWh Lithium-ion Phosphate battery pack and a claimed 425km range. The maximum DC fast charging rate is only 80kW.
One way or another we’re going to hear a lot more of Dongfeng in Australia, with Nissan set to import joint-venture models starting with the Frontier Pro PHEV ute via its joint-venture. Dongfeng itself is also said to be considering a local entry.
