AUTO trader Jetcon Corporation Limited is making a second push into the electric-vehicle (EV) market, targeting sales of about 100 units of its soon-to-be-launched Arcfox models as the company looks to capitalise on growing consumer interest in electric mobility.

The 35-year-old company is re-entering the EV segment after withdrawing around 2022, when weaker demand for these vehicles affected sales.

However, banking on increased consumer interest in electric vehicles amid higher fuel prices and falling EV prices globally, Executive Chairman Andrew Jackson has expressed renewed confidence in making a more serious play in the area this time around.

“I believe the time is now right for the roll-out of electric cars,” Jackson told shareholders during the company’s annual general meeting at the Courtleigh Hotel on Wednesday.

Jetcon Executive Chairman Andrew Jackson addresses
shareholders during Jetcon’s AGM held on August 26, 2026 at the
Courteleigh Hotel in Kingston.

“Interest in EVs has gone up since the increase in fuel prices worldwide. Locally, we have also been seeing a similar interest based on the number of inquiries we’re getting about electric vehicles,” Jackson told the Jamaica Observer during an interview following the meeting.

“As we look to introduce the Arcfox models, in year one we are looking to sell about 100 units which could climb to as much as 120 units depending on uptake,” Jackson added.

With market conditions now considered more favourable, Jackson said the sales target could give Jetcon a meaningful share of the local EV market, based on his estimate that about 300 EVs were sold in Jamaica last year.

A number of Government-led incentives, including a reduction in import duties on EVs to 10 per cent, have also helped improve the affordability by narrowing the price gap between electric and petrol-powered vehicles.

The Arcfox roll-out, expected to begin in early September, will comprise two SUV models from a range that includes the Alpha-T SUV, Alpha-S sedan and T1 hatchback. Jamaica is among the early markets for the vehicles, alongside New Zealand, South Africa, Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago.

“One model is a smaller SUV, while the larger model is comparable in size to the BAIC X55, but is powered entirely by electricity,” Jackson said while noting that the models will be priced below $4 million.

Arcfox, a Chinese EV brand founded in Beijing in 2017 by BAIC BluePark, a subsidiary of BAIC Group, will add to Jetcon’s existing portfolio of four petrol-powered BAIC models — the Beijing X55, X35, BJ30 and BJ40.

Jetcon moved into new-vehicle sales after a series of losses prompted its exit from the used-car market, where it had previously sold Japanese models. The company subsequently transitioned to distributing new vehicles manufactured in China.

Jackson said the BAIC partnership has strengthened Jetcon’s confidence in Chinese vehicle brands, with the company now seeing stronger customer acceptance and greater visibility of its vehicles on Jamaican roads since 2025.

Jackson said motor vehicle sales generated almost 90 per cent of Jetcon’s revenue in 2025, with its solar-energy business also contributing. The company returned to profitability that year, recording net profit of $95.2 million compared with a loss of $74.3 million a year earlier, as revenue climbed 81 per cent to $941.1 million. The momentum continued into 2026, with net profit for the June quarter nearly doubling to $65.3 million from $33.1 million, while revenue jumped 88 per cent to $428.4 million from $227.4 million a year earlier.

Jackson said Jetcon is also stepping up its sales ambitions for its petrol-powered BAIC range, following market research by the auto dealers’ association that ranked the X55 among the top-rated compact SUVs, behind the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4.

“Our aim is to sell about 500-600 of our BAIC petrol models this year, doubling up on the 270 units we sold in 2025,” he said, while noting that the company is also considering expanding its vehicle portfolio to include a pickup truck and possibly a minibus.

Despite the growth ambitions, Jackson said Jetcon intends to expand at a measured pace as competition intensifies with the influx of Chinese vehicle brands into the Jamaican market.

The company is also preparing to expand its footprint beyond the Corporate Area, with plans for a full-scale operation in Montego Bay to serve customers in western Jamaica.

“We are now in the planning phase on this as we continue to discuss financing and other important details. We are targeting a possible start date for this venture around late next year,” Jackson also told BusinessWeek.