Features / 27 March 2026 / Warren Hawkins

5 cheapest electric cars in South Africa

Global fuel insecurity and looming price shocks have South Africans considering their alternatives, including a renewed interest in new energy vehicles (NEVs), particularly budget electric vehicles (EVs).

With South Africa’s electric supply stabilising, EVs have become a viable option, and currently represent greater price stability compared to rapidly rising petrol and diesel prices.

Buyers are also price-conscious when looking at the electric options available locally.

This is according to AutoTrader CEO George Mienie, who explained that consumers are embracing efficiency, but doing so rationally with regard to the total cost of ownership.

Access to off-grid, solar-powered charging makes the prospect of owning an electric car in South Africa even more appealing.

According to researchers at ETH Zurich in Switzerland and the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI), these systems are more affordable than is assumed, allowing for even more cost savings.

The cheapest passenger EV in South Africa right now is the BYD Dolphin Surf in its Comfort trim.

This small crossover features a 55kW and 135Nm electric motor, offering drivers a claimed 232km range at an energy consumption of 12.9kWh/100km, all for a price of R341,900.

This is a staggering eighteen times less than the most expensive EV in South Africa, the more than R6 million Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, although this is not a fair comparison.

The variety represented among South Africa’s cheapest EVs is also worth noting, with four body shapes among the five most affordable models, ranging from small hatchbacks to full-size SUVs.

The cheapest EVs in South Africa

South Africa’s most affordable electric cars offer motorists an escape from next month’s massive fuel price spikes, and with no end in sight in the Middle East conflict, they may represent a long-term solution.

Below is a list of the five cheapest EVs in South Africa.

Click on their underlined prices for more details.