Here are the best-selling electric cars in South Africa

Sales of fully electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa reached record levels last year but grew at a subdued rate compared with 2023.

According to Lightstone, 1,257 battery-powered cars were sold in the country in 2024 and, while it was a 35% increase over the 931 units sold in 2023, it was significantly lower than the 85.4% sales growth the previous year.

The record number of EV sales is attributed to more models being introduced and prices becoming more affordable in some instances, but the slower year-on-year growth followed a global trend in 2024. Worldwide sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles grew 25.6% to more than 17-million cars last year, lower than the 31% growth in 2023 and down from 60% in 2022, according to market research firm Rho Motion.

Carmakers are under pressure to transition to EVs as regulations in China, the EU and other regions will begin to ban sales of new fossil-fuel cars from the middle of the next decade.

In South Africa, the most notable new EV was the Volvo EX30, launched in February 2024, which rose to the top of local EV sales charts with 406 units for the year, nearly double that of the second-placed BMW iX3. The EX30 has resonated with buyers as it offers relatively attainable pricing for a premium EV, with the entry-level model selling for R791,900.

In 2023 the number of EVs offered for sale locally grew significantly to 31 variants (from 17 in 2022) with the introduction of cars such as the GWM Ora, BYD Atto 3, Volvo C40 and Mercedes-Benz EQS.

In 2024 there were fewer battery-powered cars unveiled, but Chinese brands BYD and Dayun introduced the country’s two most affordable EVs, with the entry-level Dayun S5 priced at R399,900 and the baseline BYD Dolphin selling for R539,900.

Affordability has been a major obstacle to consumer adoption of EVs, but whether the S5’s and Dolphin’s more attractive prices have resonated with buyers is unknown as neither BYD nor Dayun reveal their sales numbers.

Aside from pricing, long charging times and a limited charging network have thwarted mass adoption of battery-powered cars in South Africa. The 1,257 EV sales (excluding BYD and Dayun) accounted for just 0.24% of the 515,853 new vehicles sold last year.

EV sales may accelerate after President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement late last year that the government would incentivise the production of new energy vehicles (NEVs) in and introduce measures to make them cheaper for consumers as has been done in many countries to reduce the price gap between EV and internal combustion engine cars.

In December Ramaphosa signed the 2024 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill, which provides a 150% tax incentive for electric and hydrogen-powered vehicle manufacturers in South Africa, set to take effect in March 2026.

In October he said the NEV white paper, which set out policy goals to support the transition to cleaner cars, would have subsidies to accelerate consumer uptake of EVs. He did not provide a time frame or say what form consumer subsidies would take, but it was speculated that ad valorem duties on EVs might be reduced to make them more affordable.

Greg Cress, automotive specialist at the Accenture business consultancy, said without consumer incentives it would take at least until 2032 for EVs’ share of the new vehicle market to reach 5%. With incentives it could happen by 2029.

SA’S TOP 20 SELLING EVS IN 2024

• Volvo EX30 — 406
• BMW iX3 — 221
• Volvo XC40 — 103
• BMW iX — 80
• MINI Cooper SE hatch — 69
• BMW iX1 — 66
• GWM Ora — 43
• BMW i5 — 38
• Mercedes-Benz EQA — 34
• MINI Countryman SE — 30
• Volvo C40 — 30
• BMW i4 — 28
• Mercedes-Benz EQE — 20
• BMW i7 — 13
• Mercedes-AMG EQE — 10
• VW ID.4 — 10
• Mercedes-Benz EQB — 9
• Jaguar I-Pace — 7
• JAC N75 truck — 7
• Mercedes-Benz EQS — 4

• Source: Lightstone