Arcfox T1 in South Africa: Price, Pro vs Pro Max, Range, Features and Safety
The Arcfox T1 is a compact crossover-style electric SUV built for the city, and it is now on sale in South Africa in two trims, the Pro and the Pro Max. This guide is checked line by line against the official brochure, so you can see exactly what you get on each trim, and what you only get if you step up.
Disclosure: I have arranged with a Port Elizabeth dealership that if you buy an Arcfox T1 after reading this post or watching my video, I receive a finder's fee, at no extra cost to you. It does not change the price you pay, and it does not change my opinion of the car.
Watch the full video review: Arcfox T1 on YouTube, also embedded at the bottom of this post.
Who is Arcfox?
Arcfox is an electric car brand owned by BAIC, the Beijing Automotive Industry Corporation, one of China's large state-owned car makers. BAIC is also the Chinese partner behind Mercedes-Benz production in China through a joint venture that started in 2005.
Arcfox itself is much younger. It launched around 2017 as BAIC's dedicated electric brand and is run by BAIC's electric vehicle arm, BAIC BluePark. The first Arcfox was a small city car called the Lite. The brand made its global debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019, and later added larger models such as the Alpha T SUV and the Alpha S sedan, including a version using Huawei technology in 2022. Arcfox cars are built in Zhenjiang, China, at a plant BAIC runs with the Canadian company Magna. That makes the brand about nine years old.
The T1 is far newer. It was unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2025, production started in August 2025, and it went on sale in China in September 2025. Arcfox reported more than 26,000 firm orders in the first 12 hours. The car sold in South Africa is the global version, so do not compare its price with Chinese prices directly.
There is also a local link. BAIC has a plant near Port Elizabeth, in Coega, where it assembles models such as the X55 Plus and the B40 Plus. The T1 itself is built in China, and I have not seen anything announcing it for Coega, but it is sold through BAIC dealerships in South Africa.
Arcfox T1 price in South Africa
| Trim | Price (ZAR) | USD (approx.) | GBP (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arcfox T1 Pro | R359,900 | $21,800 | £16,400 |
| Arcfox T1 Pro Max | R399,900 | $24,200 | £18,200 |
The BAIC website also advertises finance from R3,999 per month (about $240 or £180), with terms and conditions applying. For context, the small electric cars it sits alongside start slightly lower: the Geely E2 from R339,900, the BYD Dolphin Surf from R341,900 and the Chery Q from R349,900.
USD and GBP figures are approximate, using R16.50 per US dollar and R22.00 per pound. Rates move, so check before you decide.
Motor, battery and range
Both trims share the same drivetrain. A single permanent-magnet electric motor drives the front wheels and produces 70 kW and 176 Nm of torque. Top speed is at least 140 km/h and the car weighs 1,420 kg. Seventy kilowatts is on the modest side, but this is a car built for commuting, the school run and the shop run, not for racing.
| Item | Both trims |
|---|---|
| Battery | 42.3 kWh lithium iron phosphate (made by CATL) |
| WLTP range (claimed) | Up to 310 km |
| Energy consumption (claimed) | 11.2 kWh per 100 km |
| Cold weather (claimed) | 94% battery retention at -7°C |
| Real-world mixed-driving range | To be confirmed after my test drive |
| Regenerative braking | Yes |
Claimed figures are always better than what you will see day to day, so I will add real-world numbers to this post once I have driven the car.
Charging
- DC fast charging: the brochure says 30 to 80 percent takes about 25 minutes. Dealer information puts the maximum DC power at 80 kW.
- AC charging: 7 kW, about 8 hours for a full charge from empty.
- Vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-load: both trims can power appliances or rescue another electric car.
Arcfox T1 Pro: what you get on the entry trim
Exterior and wheels
The Pro rides on 17-inch wheels with 215/55 R17 tyres. You get a smart key, semi-hidden door handles, anti-pinch automatic windows, digital LED headlights with interactive front and rear lighting, automatic headlights, a self-delay headlight, rain-sensing wipers, and electric folding and heated mirrors. Rain-sensing wipers on the entry trim is a nice surprise. The Pro does not have a panoramic sunroof or an electric tailgate.
Interior and intelligent cabin
- 15.6-inch HD touchscreen with four languages, and voice control in English and Thai.
- Four-speaker sound system, Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay. Android Auto is not listed in the brochure, and the brochure also lists a feature called EasyLink, so Android users should test phone connectivity before buying.
- 66 W front phone charger, a front USB-A port and a 27 W rear USB-C port. The brochure does not say whether the 66 W charger is a wireless pad or a cable port.
- Automatic climate control with a heat pump. A heat pump heats and cools the cabin using less battery than a traditional heater, and it is standard on both trims.
- Six-way electrically adjustable driver's seat, even on the Pro. The passenger seat is four-way manual.
- PVC seat material, a rear seat with three head restraints that folds 40/60, and ISOFIX child seat anchors.
- Rear air vents, sun visor with mirror, multi-function steering wheel, front centre armrest with cup holders, and a manual anti-glare rear-view mirror (you flip a small tab to cut the glare from headlights behind you).
Safety on the Pro
The Pro gets a solid safety core: ABS, electronic brake force distribution, brake assist, electronic stability control, traction control, hill hold, hill descent control, tyre pressure monitoring, front and side airbags, seat belt reminders front and rear, and child locks. For parking you get rear parking sensors, a surround view camera and a transparent chassis view, which uses cameras to show the ground under the car.
What the Pro does not have is any of the driver assistance systems listed below, front parking sensors or curtain airbags.
Arcfox T1 Pro Max: the step up
The Pro Max keeps everything above and adds the following.
- 18-inch alloy wheels with 215/55 R18 tyres.
- Panoramic sunroof with a stepless electric sunshade.
- Electric tailgate and automatic high beam.
- Four-way electric passenger seat, and heated, ventilated front seats with memory.
- Curtain airbags, front parking sensors, narrow road assistance and reverse path tracing.
- The full driver assistance suite, including automatic parking assist.
The sound system stays at four speakers on both trims.
Driver assistance (ADAS): Pro vs Pro Max
| System | What it does | Pro | Pro Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACC, adaptive cruise control | Holds a set speed and a gap to the car ahead | Not fitted | Yes |
| ICA, integrated cruise assist | Adds steering support to keep you centred in your lane | Not fitted | Yes |
| TJA, traffic jam assist | Helps in stop-start traffic | Not fitted | Yes |
| LDW, lane departure warning | Alerts you if you drift out of your lane | Not fitted | Yes |
| FCW, forward collision warning | Warns of a possible collision ahead | Not fitted | Yes |
| PCW, pedestrian collision warning | Warns of pedestrians in your path | Not fitted | Yes |
| AEB, automatic emergency braking | Can brake the car for you | Not fitted | Yes |
| APA, automatic parking assist | Parks in parallel and perpendicular spaces, and parks out | Not fitted | Yes |
The brochure claims the parking system recognises 58 parking scenarios. The key point is that, according to the brochure, the Pro has none of these systems, so if safety technology and automatic parking matter to you, the Pro Max is the trim to look at.
Pro vs Pro Max at a glance
| Feature | Pro | Pro Max |
|---|---|---|
| Price | R359,900 | R399,900 |
| Wheels | 17-inch | 18-inch alloy |
| Panoramic sunroof | No | Yes |
| Electric tailgate | No | Yes |
| Automatic high beam | No | Yes |
| Driver's seat | 6-way electric | 6-way electric |
| Passenger seat | 4-way manual | 4-way electric |
| Front seat heating, ventilation, memory | No | Yes |
| Front airbags and side airbags | Yes | Yes |
| Curtain airbags | No | Yes |
| Rear sensors, surround camera, transparent chassis | Yes | Yes |
| Front parking sensors | No | Yes |
| Full ADAS suite and automatic parking | No | Yes |
| Rain-sensing wipers, heat pump, Apple CarPlay, 66 W charger | Yes | Yes |
Size, boot and storage
- Dimensions: 4,337 mm long, 1,860 mm wide, 1,572 mm tall, with a 2,770 mm wheelbase.
- Ground clearance: 181 mm.
- Boot: 459 litres, growing to 1,352 litres with the seats folded, plus a 74-litre hidden underfloor storage compartment.
- Frunk: none, so there is no extra storage under the bonnet. The underfloor compartment in the boot makes up for it.
- Spare wheel: neither a spare wheel nor a tyre repair kit is listed in the brochure, so ask your dealer.
Colours
Five exterior colours are available as options: Vana Blue, Twilight Purple, Midnight Grey, Dawn White and Flowing Silver. The interior comes in Cloud Beige or Black Gold.
Warranty and service plan
- Vehicle warranty: 5 years or 150,000 km.
- Service plan: 5 years or 100,000 km.
- Battery warranty: reported as 8 years or 200,000 km. I am confirming this with the dealer.
- Roadside assistance: reported as 5 years.
Launch offers
- Cash back: up to R5,000 (about $300 or £230), terms and conditions apply, offer ends 31 December 2026.
- Charging card: the first 100 buyers receive a R7,000 public charging card (about $420 or £320), and buyers after that receive a R5,000 card (about $300 or £230).
- Wall charger: a 7 kW wall charger is reported as part of the offering, but installation would be at your own cost. Please confirm this with the dealer.
- R20,000 voucher competition: a competition for early buyers runs on the brand's social media (about $1,200 or £900). Check the terms on social media and ask at the dealership.
Always confirm whether offers can be combined. Cash back and a charging card may not stack, so ask before you sign.
See it in Port Elizabeth
📍 Ask for Mr Kelvin Felix at Tavcor BAIC, 21 Olive Street, Port Elizabeth. Tell him Charge Go EV sent you.
📞 WhatsApp: 076 691 2634 | Phone: 041 395 8200
My take
The Arcfox T1 is a real contender in the city SUV space, and it feels bigger in person than it looks in photos. Four things stand out. First, the SUV styling. Second, the automatic parking assist. Third, the panoramic sunroof, and those two are Pro Max features. Fourth, and the one that surprised me, the entry trim: even the Pro gets a solid safety core, rear sensors, a surround view camera, a transparent chassis view and a six-way electric driver's seat.
On the downside, 70 kW of power is modest, and if you want driver assistance, you need the Pro Max. Taste is personal, so go and see it and drive it before you decide.
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Arcfox T1 cost in South Africa?
The Pro starts at R359,900 and the Pro Max at R399,900.
What is the range of the Arcfox T1?
Arcfox claims up to 310 km on the WLTP cycle from a 42.3 kWh battery. Real-world range will be lower, and I will update this post after testing.
Does the Arcfox T1 have Apple CarPlay and Android Auto?
The brochure lists Apple CarPlay on both trims. Android Auto is not listed.
Does the Pro have a sunroof?
No. According to the brochure, the panoramic sunroof is a Pro Max feature.
Which trim has automatic parking and driver assistance?
Only the Pro Max. The Pro does not have adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, collision warnings, lane departure warning or automatic parking.
How fast does the Arcfox T1 charge?
Thirty to eighty percent takes about 25 minutes on a DC fast charger, with a maximum of 80 kW according to dealer information. On a 7 kW AC charger, a full charge takes about 8 hours.
What warranty does the Arcfox T1 come with?
A 5-year, 150,000 km vehicle warranty and a 5-year, 100,000 km service plan. The battery warranty is reported as 8 years or 200,000 km.
Watch the video
Prefer to open it on YouTube? Watch the Arcfox T1 video here.
Sources: the official Arcfox T1 brochure and the BAIC South Africa dealer website (October 2026), with brand history from published industry coverage. The brochure covers the global version, so specifications and prices may change. Offers are subject to their own terms and conditions. USD and GBP figures are approximate. Please confirm all details with your dealer before buying.
