Driving the Changan Hunter K50 REEV: Smiles on Dials and Silent Miles - Grant Adlam
- Grant Adlam
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
If you want to know what it feels like to drive the future of the South African bakkie market, just take a spin through Durban. I have been behind the wheel of the new Changan Hunter K50 REEV (Range Extended Electric Vehicle) for a week now, and the reaction across the city has been absolutely incredible.
My roving reporter, Dylan Naidoo, and I took it on a trip upto Pinetown, and it turned into an absolute roadshow. Everywhere we went, it was putting a smile on everybody’s dial and getting the universal thumbs-up.
The Pinetown Roadshow & The Sausage Dog Critics
Driving through the middle of Pinetown, the look of this thing just stops people in their tracks. It has a massive, futuristic presence, a striking green colour, and a fantastic set of wheels.
After Pinetown, we rolled into a quieter, more upmarket suburb. I came outside to find a group of elderly pensioners out walking their sausage dogs, completely surrounding the bakkie. They were doing a proper, full analysis of it, absolutely loving the styling. I don't know if it’s the shape, the lines, or that distinct green, but it just makes people happy.
Interestingly, we noticed a very distinct split in the audience feedback:
History
The Men: Every single male who looked at it was deeply intrigued, loved the styling, and thought the green colour was spot on.
Herstory
The Women: Majority of the ladies we spoke to weren’t quite as sold on the colour choice — but hey, you can't please everyone, and it certainly didn't stop them smiling!
The Silent Star at the Municipality
This morning, Dylan and I popped over to the local municipality. The moment we pulled up, the entire office practically emptied out. One of the chaps came out to see us, took one look, and ran back inside to drag everyone else out to the parking area.
They simply could not believe it was an electric vehicle. Because it runs on an electric drive system, it makes absolutely zero noise. You don't even know the bakkie is turned on. As I mentioned to Dylan in our video clip, it's so completely silent that even the local dogs get a proper fright when you glide past.
The Tech Deep Dive: How the REEV Works
So, what is actually happening under the skin of this R799,900 bakkie? This isn't a traditional hybrid; it’s a Range Extended Electric Vehicle, which is a brilliant concept for South Africa.
* **The Motors:** It features dual electric motors (one on each axle) giving you proper four-wheel-drive capability, putting out a massive **200 kW** and **470 Nm** of instant torque.
The Range Extender: There is a 2.0-litre turbo engine under the bonnet, but it never drives the wheels. Its only job is to act as an on-board generator to charge up the 31.2 kWh battery when it runs low.
No Range Anxiety: You get about 130 km of pure, silent electric commuting for your daily Durban runs. When the petrol generator kicks in to top up the battery, your total driving range shoots up to an incredible 1,000 km.
Inside, it feels less like a commercial workhorse and more like a premium lifestyle cabin. It has a beautiful wraparound 12.3-inch HD touchscreen that syncs seamlessly with your phone for navigation and music, wireless charging, and very comfortable leather seats. It even has 220V power sockets in the load bin to run tools or camping gear.
The Only Catch?
If I have to find one single negative after a week of driving, it’s that it took me about three or four attempts to get my parking right.
Because of its long 3,180 mm wheelbase and wide stance, judging the turning circle in tight urban parking spots takes a moment of adjustment. I just couldn't quite get the line right at first. But once you master the turn, the 540-degree panoramic camera system (which shows a brilliant view right through the chassis) makes it perfectly easy to guide into place.
The Verdict
Changan has hit the nail on the head here. It gives you all the presence, space, and punch of a premium double-cab, but with an incredibly smooth, silent electric drive that saves you a fortune on the daily commute. It's a fantastic thing to live with, it's a brilliant conversation starter, and it genuinely leaves a trail of happy faces wherever you drive it.
