Electric cars are slowly but surely gaining traction in South Africa, but many would-be buyers are still weary of pulling the trigger for reasons ranging from high prices to low driving ranges.
This was revealed in the latest 2024 AutoTrader New Energy Vehicle Buyers Report which surveyed over 1,400 local consumers on their perceptions of and desire for new-energy vehicles (NEVs).
For those unaware, NEVs is a blanket term that refers to vehicles with electrified propulsion systems such as hybrid (HEVs) and battery-electric cars (BEVs).
The phrase internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle then encompasses traditional petrol and diesel autos without any form of electrification.
Likes and dislikes
The main draw of NEVs for South African consumers is their improved fuel efficiency when compared to ICE cars.
Reduced carbon emissions sit in second place, and reduced air pollution in third. Less important are cheaper running costs, less noise pollution, and better performance.
In contrast, respondents who have owned an NEV ranked improved fuel efficiency, cheaper running costs , and zero carbon emissions as their top advantages of NEVs, which is significantly different from the overall responses.
Meanwhile, the top dislikes of NEVs according to the populace are the lack of national charging infrastructure, the higher initial purchasing price versus ICEs, and lengthy charging times.
Despite the touted advantages, 90% of survey respondents still said they’d prefer to have an HEV or ICE for their next set of wheels
HEVs were the most sought-after with 52% of voters stating that this will be their fuel type of choice when they buy another car, with petrol and diesel seeing an even split at 19% a piece.
Battery efficiency is the top priority for would-be NEV buyers, indicating they still do not think modern BEVs have enough range and would like the added peace of mind of a petrol tank that can be refilled around the corner in virtually every part of the country.
Safety is an equally big concern, followed by price, cost of ownership, and technology.
NEV penetration still low
Of the 1,400-plus survey participants, a staggering 94% said they have never owned nor do they currently own an NEV.
Additionally, 61% said they have neither experienced a hybrid nor an electric car. Of the remaining 39% who have, around half (49%) said they’ve only driven or been driven in an HEV, 25% said a BEV, and 26% said both.
The ratio was skewed towards males, as 40% of male respondents who have never owned an NEV have experienced one. In comparison, 27% of the female respondents have experienced an NEV.
Consumers are slightly more clued up on the technologies today than in the past, though.
As many as 55% said they think a BEV achieves an average driving range of 300-500km, which is in the ballpark of most manufacturers’ claims and far more than what most commuters need on a daily basis.
Nevertheless, a resounding 74% said they’d only consider buying one if it can do a guaranteed 500km or more, once again illustrating that South Africans believe these cars have their benefits, but that these benefits may not be enough to outweigh the drawbacks.
Likewise, 45% of participants said they suspect a BEV will take between four and 12 hours to charge when plugged into the average home socket, and 47% said they think it takes under two hours to charge at a public fast-charging outlet.
While charging times can vary drastically depending on the electricity infrastructure, remaining levels of charge, the vehicle itself, and the ambient temperature, these expectations are accurate in most real-world scenarios.
Be that as it may, roughly 83% said they’d only consider spending money on a BEV if it can be topped up in under four hours at home, and in under two hours in public.
It seems most consumers are still upbeat about BEVs as 58% said they will consider buying one in the future, while 34% said it’s unlikely but not out of the question that they’d eventually get one.
Only a minuscule 8% said there’s absolutely zero chance of a battery-powered car ever being their daily driver.
Those who are keen on the technology furthermore indicated that it won’t be long until they take the plunge, with 12% stating they expect to buy a BEV within the next year, and 74% saying they’ll have one anywhere between the next one to five years.
The cost of these vehicles might be the main issue, though.
A considerable 58% of respondents said they wouldn’t buy a BEV that is over R600,000, with few options being available to these consumers in this price bracket.
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