Despite previously noted low sales of electric vehicles in South Africa, automakers anticipate a shift. At the Festival of Motoring exhibition in Kyalami, held from August 28 to 30, no fewer than 19 battery-powered models were showcased, although prices for many of them have not yet been officially announced. Notably, only one of the presented models was not of Chinese manufacture.
The exhibition featured models such as the BAIC Arcfox T1, Changan Deepal S07, Chery Q, Dongfeng 007, Box and Vigo, Forthing Friday, Geely E2, E5 and Riddara, GWM Ora 5, iCaur V23 and 03T, Jaecoo J5, Kaiyi X3 and e-Qute04, Lepas L4 and L6, as well as the Suzuki e Vitara.
The significance of this event is tied to the price barrier: approximately 61% of all new cars sold in South Africa cost less than 400,000 Rand (according to Toyota SOMI 2026), and only Suzuki offers at least 11 models in this price segment. Before the exhibition, only four battery-powered options were available in this price range: Dongfeng Box, Chery Q, Geely E2, and BYD Surf, and almost all of them were new to the market.
A significant rise in electric vehicle sales is expected in the fourth quarter and the first half of 2027. However, forecasts remain uncertain after this period.
It is important to understand the starting point of growth. According to industry body Naamsa, 16,289 new energy vehicles were sold in the first seven months of 2026, an 88% increase compared to the previous year, accounting for 4.4% of total new sales. Of this total, 8,078 were traditional hybrids, 5,851 were plug-in hybrids, and only 2,360 were electric vehicles, making up roughly one out of seven in an already small category.