South Africa has a new homegrown car brand, known as EVerione.
EVerione is a joint venture between Megamillion Group and JSW MG Motor India focused on importing, assembling, and distributing select electric vehicles (EV) in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa.
“For far too long, Africa has lagged behind in the large-scale adoption of electric vehicles,” said Nechan Naicker, Founder and CEO of Megamillion Group.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with JSW MG Motor India to finally introduce affordable premium EVs to the continent, while reducing the carbon footprint in Africa’s fast-growing major cities.”
The companies will furthermore establish an EV battery “gigafactory” on local soil, taking advantage of a recently announced tax incentive that allows for a 150% tax deduction on investment in electric- and hydrogen-powered vehicle production.
“This incentive aligns perfectly with Megamillion’s commitment to spearhead local battery and EV manufacturing capabilities on the continent, further strengthening the economic case for developing Africa as an electric vehicle manufacturing powerhouse,” said Tevin Naicker, head of New Product Development.
It’s estimated that the battery accounts for up to 50% of an EV’s cost, with domestic production therefore holding several potential benefits not only from a pricing perspective, but also for the local economy and job creation.
“By establishing local production – first in South Africa and thereafter expanding into other African countries – we will greatly reduce vehicle prices, ensuring that clean electric mobility is within the reach of all Africans,” said Naicker.
EVerione’s first car
The first model destinated for our roads is the EVerione.happy, a rebranded version of the MG Comet, which is expected to arrive in August 2025.
The three-door city car can accommodate up to four passengers and boasts a top speed of 105km/h and a range of up to 230km.
Its 17.3kWh battery – which is rated for up to 500,000km of use – can be topped up in as little as two hours on a fast-charging plug, which grows to six hours when plugged into a standard AC charger.
When launched in South Africa, the EVerione.happy will support over 99 voice commands that can be executed in six local African languages, including Afrikaans, English, isiXhosa, isiZulu, Sesotho, and Shona.
It will also be equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system, a reverse camera, dual front airbags, hill-hold control, electronic stability control, an electronic parking brake, and ABS with electronic brake-force distribution.
EVerione has kept mum on prices for the happy, but promised that it will be one of the most “affordable premium EVs to the continent.”
For reference, the MG Comet in India has a starting price of 4.99 Lakh, which equates to roughly R110,000.
This figure should be noticeabley higher once the EVerione.happy arrives in South Africa, however, until such time that the locally made batteries start to pay dividends.
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