More South African motorists are making the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), with affordable Chinese options, both new and used, driving adoption.
This is according to OLX, a global online classifieds leader with nearly 60 million daily listings across markets, which examined consumer demand for electric vehicles across five pre-owned marketplaces, including AutoTrader South Africa.
Its data showed that EV adoption is maturing into a structural trend rather than a short-term reaction, as every market it analysed sustained double- or triple-digit year-on-year EV-led growth.
“Chinese automotive brands remain central to that story, with MG and BYD now among the leading Chinese brands in four of the five markets,” it said.
OLX CEO Christian Gisy added that the data shows that where EV adoption is accelerating, demand for Chinese automotive brands is accelerating with it.
He added that this is not a coincidence, since Chinese manufacturers are actively expanding the market and bringing electric vehicles to consumers at lower price points than ever before.
“This means EVs are now more accessible for more people. The transition to electric mobility is happening faster, and more broadly, because Chinese manufacturers are in it,” he said.
OLX’s report found that EV interest in South Africa grew 154.6% year-on-year – the second-most in any market – and surged in the months following the outbreak of the conflict in Iran.
“The 154.6% increase in EV leads shows that interest in electric mobility is growing rapidly in South Africa, even from a relatively small base,” commented George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader South Africa.
“Chinese manufacturers are helping drive this shift by offering vehicles that respond well to local priorities around affordability, technology, and practicality.”
Last year alone, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) sales on AutoTrader surged 55% year-on-year, with listings on the marketplace increasing 39% over the same period.
The most desirable EVs in South Africa
New and used electric car sales have increased in 2026 as well, especially with petrol and diesel prices climbing throughout the Middle East conflict.
Car insurance expert MoneySuperMarket reports that EV sales in South Africa in the first half of 2026 have been 75% higher than in all of 2025.
To uncover which EVs are the most popular in South Africa, the company analysed Google search volumes for more than 200 electric vehicle models.
It found that, despite Tesla being created by a South African – Elon Musk – only one Tesla model made it into the top 10 EVs South Africans want the most.
In line with the rest of the world’s searches, BYD ranked at the top of the local list, with half of the top ten being from the Chinese NEV manufacturer.
By contrast, only one Tesla made its way into South Africa’s top five most-wanted EV models, with the Cybertruck racking up 45,300 annual searches.
Below is a list of South Africa’s top 10 most searched-for EVs from April 2025 to April 2026.
| EV Model | Annual searches |
|---|---|
| BYD Dolphin Surf | 74,350 |
| BMW i7 | 57,600 |
| BYD Sealion 6 | 57,200 |
| BYD Dolphin | 51,100 |
| Tesla Cybertruck | 45,300 |
| Volvo EX30 | 43,300 |
| BYD Seal | 41,700 |
| BYD Sealion 7 | 35,200 |
| Rolls-Royce Spectre | 31,000 |
| Porsche Taycan | 28,800 |
Looking beyond South Africa, MoneySuperMarket found that Tesla and BYD dominate the most searched electric vehicles, with the Model Y and Model 3 ranking first and second, and the BYD Seal placing third.
Out of the 200 countries analysed by MoneySuperMarket, various Tesla models rank first in 38% of markets, with a combined 71.6 million Google searches.
The Tesla Model Y, which ranks as the number one car worldwide, amassed 25.1 million Google searches worldwide between April 2025 and April 2026.
Loading ...
