Electric cars are slowly but surely becoming a more common presence on the roads, as evidenced by the sales numbers for 2024.
According to Lightstone Auto, a grand total of 1,257 electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in South Africa last year, reflecting an impressive 35% increase from 2023.
The growth in sales is attributed to an influx of new models that have significantly brought down the cost of entry for the technology in recent years.
This includes nameplates such as the GWM Ora, BYD Atto 3, and Volvo EX30, which go for between R686,950 and R835,500.
While this is still an enormous sum for a new car, it wasn’t that long ago that even the cheapest EVs would ask for over R1 million, illustrating just how exclusive battery-powered models are in South Africa.
The two most affordable EVs on the market right now are the BYD Dolphin and the Dayun Yuehu S5, which go for R539,900 and R399,900, respectively, and more options are set to debut in the near future, such as the Fiat 500e and the BYD Dolphin Mini.
It’s an encouraging sign that more automakers are beginning to introduce their affordable electric nameplates, as the market has mostly been dominated by multi-million rand models from luxury brands like Jaguar, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi up till now.
One notable example is VW, which is currently testing the waters with the limited rollout of the ID.4 – a car that is not currently on sale to the public, but is being allocated to the media and dealerships to examine the feasibility of launching it and other electric products.
Paving the way
These were the best-selling electric cars in South Africa in 2024.
Note that BYD does not disclose its sales figures, and is therefore not included on the list.
Click on the underlined prices for more information.
1. Volvo EX30 — 406 units
- Starting price – R835,500
2. BMW iX3 — 221 units
- Starting price – R1,361,400
3. Volvo XC40 — 103 units
- Starting price – R1,108,000
4. BMW iX — 80 units
- Starting price – R1,735,000
5. Mini Cooper SE — 69 units
- Starting price – R802,000
6. BMW iX1 — 66 units
- Starting price – R1,205,000
7. GWM Ora — 43 units
- Starting price – R686,950
8. BMW i5 — 38 units
- Starting price – R1,842,500
9. Mercedes-Benz EQA — 34 units
- Starting price – R1,179,400
10. Mini Countryman SE — 30 units
- Starting price – R1,086,000
11. Volvo C40 — 30 units
- Starting price – R1,324,000
12. BMW i4 — 28 units
- Starting price – R1,345,500
13. Mercedes-Benz EQE — 20 units
- Starting price – R1,727,951
14. BMW i7 — 13 units
- Starting price – R2,935,000
15. Mercedes-AMG EQE — 10 units
- Starting price – R2,271,451
16. VW ID.4 — 10 units
- Starting price – NA
17. Mercedes-Benz EQB — 9 units
- Starting price – R1,384,300
18. Jaguar I-Pace — 7 units
- Starting price – R2,074,700
19. JAC N75 truck — 7 units
- Starting price – R999,131
20. Mercedes-Benz EQS — 4 units
- Starting price – R2,827,005
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