There are nine different electric vehicles (EVs) in South Africa that can drive further than 500km on a single charge, but they aren’t exactly cheap.
The price of EVs has come down dramatically over the last few years as new brands like BYD (Build Your Dreams) and GWM’s Ora have entered the market, while existing badges like Volvo have started to bring in their more affordable models.
However, while the price of entry for electric transport is dropping, the cost of models with a driving range that won’t have you checking the battery levels every few minutes is still incredibly high, as you will need to part with at least R1.3 million to get your hands on a car with 500km or more on tap.
Setting the bar in terms of price is the Volvo XC40 and its coupe counterpart, the C40, which have a 69kWh battery with a range of 500km, and cost R1,298,000 and R1,324,000, respectively.
On the other end of the scale, Mercedes-Benz is currently leading the charge on EV battery capacities with the EQS, which boasts a 108.4kWh cell with 780km of driving potential.
It’s also worth noting that, like with any car, the manufacturer’s claimed range is an estimate that is based on a combination of urban and highway driving, meaning your own mileage will vary depending on where and how you drive every day.
For example, the new Porsche Taycan has a 105kWh battery, and the company claims it can do more than 800km if it sticks to driving around town, but this drops to a WLTP average of 642km when high-speed driving on the motorway is taken into account.
In it for the long haul
The EVs listed below are available in South Africa with a driving range of more than 500km.
Click on the underlined prices for more information.
Mercedes-Benz EQS450+ sedan
- Range – 780km
- Battery size – 108.4kWh
- Power – 245kW/565Nm
- Starting price – R2,827,005
Porsche Taycan 4S
- Range – 642km
- Battery size – 105kWh
- Power – 440kW/710Nm
- Starting price – R3,161,000
BMW iX xDrive50
- Range – 630km
- Battery size – 111.5kWh
- Power – 385kW/765Nm
- Starting price – R2,350,000
BMW i7 xDrive60 Design Pure Excellence
- Range – 625km
- Battery size – 101.7kwh
- Power – 400kW/745Nm
- Starting price – R2,935,000
Mercedes-Benz EQE350+ sedan
- Range – 621km
- Battery size – 90.6kWh
- Power – 215kW/565Nm
- Starting price – R1,724,650
Lotus Eletre S
- Range – 600km
- Battery size – 111.9kWh
- Power – 450kW/710Nm
- Starting price – POA
BMW i5 M60 xDrive
- Range – 516km
- Battery size – 83.9kWh
- Power – 442kW/795Nm
- Starting price – R2,190,000
Volvo C40 Recharge Twin Motor Ultimate
- Range – 500km
- Battery size – 69kWh
- Power – 300kW/660Nm
- Starting price – R1,324,000
Volvo XC40 Recharge Twin Motor Ultimate
- Range – 500km
- Battery size – 69kWh
- Power – 300kW/660Nm
- Starting price – R1,298,000
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