Hybrids, hybrids and more hybrids. It’s an offering many Chinese manufacturers have moved to in the past year in South Africa.
There’s three reasons for this. Despite Chinese vehicles being visually appealing, tech-heavy and super comfortable while still remaining affordable, their petrol vehicles have struggled with fuel economy.
The second reason is that South Africans are struggling to navigate the transition to electric vehicles due to range anxiety and charging infrastructure, so manufacturers have brought vehicles to give them the best of both worlds.
The third reason is that rising fuel costs mean consumers are now likely to consider hybrid vehicles in order to save on running costs.
Baic brought in the B30 range in November 2025 and the B30e, which is the hybrid, was part of the range. The B30e is Baic’s first new-energy vehicle released in South Africa.
After driving other offerings from Baic like the Beijing X55 and B40 Plus, it became clear to me that the brand needed something to surpass the Beijing X55, but also be more stylish and practical than the Jeep-looking B40 Plus.
Baic actually hit the nail on the head with the B30.
It seems that it’s now become fashionable for boxy vehicles with circular headlights to roam the roads and Baic were bold with this design.
They embraced a rugged yet refined design which essientially feeds into the focus of the car, but really kept it tidy in the front and along the sides of the vehicle.
The only gripe I have with it is the verticle tailights. It just gives it bakkie vibes from the back. Sure, you are not going to be looking at the back, but I just feel as if the style died down at the back of the vehicle.
But it’s a different story on the inside. In true Chinese fashion, the effort put into the interior to make you comfortable is superb.
A sweeping 14.6-inch touchscreen infotainment system anchors the cockpit, complemented by a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster that adapts to driving modes and lighting conditions. The user interface supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while voice recognition, wireless charging, and Bluetooth connectivity come standard across the range.
Besides that, the space within the interior is ample and just makes it extremely comfortable. You actually feel like this is a family SUV that can cater to all your needs.
The boot space is also sufficient which makes it even better.
However, the best part about the Baic B30e is driving it.
It has a 1.5 litre turbocharged engine coupled with Baic’s Magic Core Hybrid System, which is a self charging system, that delivers 301kW of power and 685Nm of torque.
This means that the B30e is absolutely rapid, even for a midsize SUV, while it still manages to keep the fuel consumption below 6 litres/100km.
Apart from that, the intelligent system that provides the best of both worlds (electric and petrol) is mated to a Dedicated Hybrid Transmission which makes driving the car extremely smooth and effortless. On the highways, the B30e cruises without any issues and in the city, despite being big, it’s nippy.
It also has multiple drive modes like snow, eco, sport and terrain which makes it very capable of off-roading when you need it to.
I like that Baic has taken the best of the Beijing X55 in terms of on-road driving and elements of the B40 Plus in terms of off-roading and integrated it into the B30 and B30e.
Pricing and verdict
The B30e has Baic in a sweet spot because of what it offers. From the stylish yet rugged design to the refined interior and the steady and easy drive, the B30e has to go down as an impressive package from Baic.
Priced at R639 900 for the front-wheel-drive and R689 900 for the all-wheel-drive, it is certainly here to give other Chinese competitors like BYD, Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo a go who also have hybrid vehicles priced in and around this bracket.
It certainly wins on space and can compete on fuel consumption and therefore the new-energy from Baic must be complimented.
From the stylish yet rugged design to the refined interior and the steady and easy drive, the B30e has to go down as an impressive package from Baic.
