The EVs On Display Event Highlights The Progress Made In South Africa’s Electric Mobility Sector
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About 6 or 7 years ago, I was seconded to support operations in Johannesburg, South Africa, for a company I was working for in the C&I solar sector. To facilitate the day-to-day activities I needed to do during that time, I was asked to look for a short term rental car. I asked the Human Resources Department as well as the Finance Department if I could rent an electric car. The response was very positive. I was told that as long as the quotes were within the budget allocated, I could rent an electric car. Buoyed by this good news and with the assistance of the company’s travel and logistics department, I looked all over for a short term and even long term electric rental car.
That excitement soon became extreme disappointment. All the reputable car rental companies we called and visited did not offer any full battery-electric vehicles. Then we proceeded to look for car-sharing startups, which weren’t that many at the time. Still no luck, as they didn’t have any. We were, however, referred to an individual who had a number of ICE cars and a first generation Nissan Leaf. The first gen Nissan Leaf was briefly sold in South Africa and then pulled from the market due to early battery degradation issues in hot and sunny South Africa that were exacerbated by the Leaf’s lack of active cooling systems for the battery pack. After some discussions, the conversation just went quiet. So there I was thinking. I am in Africa’s most advanced economy, and yet, struggling to get an EV to rent or lease.
Looking at the sales of BEVs in South Africa at the time, it was understandable that it would be hard to get a BEV on short term rental then. Charging infrastructure was also just starting to grow at the time. This wouldn’t have been an issue for me as I would have had to charge at my accommodation and essentially all my activities were within the Johannesburg and Pretoria Metros, so I would have been ok. I had even asked the owner of the bed and breakfast place I was staying at if I could bring an electric car to charge at the lodge and they had said it was ok.
The problem was that there were just not enough EVs in the country at the time and not enough companies were bringing BEVs to South Africa, apart from BMW South Africa and a few others. BMW South Africa has actually been very good at promoting EVs. Since 2015 when it brought in the first generation 60 Ah BMW i3, it consistently updated the i3 offering and added new models of the i3 — the 90 Ah and 120 Ah versions. The i3 was quite successful and was actually the top selling electric vehicle in South Africa for some time, and the i8 also tops the plug-in hybrid charts.
Sales of BEVs had been quite slow in South Africa over the past 5 years around that period. The slow sales of BEVs can be attributed to several reasons, including:
- A limited number of models available in South Africa compared to similar markets. However, the range of BEVs offered in South Africa is improving, which gives us hope for the future.
- High import duties and taxes applicable to electric vehicles in South Africa. Petrol and diesel vehicles imported from the EU into South Africa have a customs duty of 18%, while for electric vehicles it is 25%. There are also the Ad Valorem Customs Excise Duties and VAT.
As you can see, there weren’t that many BEVs on the market in South Africa at that time. Fast forward to 2025, things have improved a bit. Here is how the BEV market is looking at the moment: The South African BEV market is still tiny, with only 0.24% of all vehicles sold in South Africa being battery-electric in 2024. 515,712 vehicles were sold in South Africa in 2024 and only 1,257 BEVs were sold in 2024. That’s still very low! With only 3,212 BEVs sold since 2018, it’s clear to see that sales of BEVs have been slow in South Africa compared to similar auto markets around the world. But the number of BEVs sold each year is improving, which is a good thing.
There are now more BEV models available in South Africa as more automakers are starting to bring a wider variety of them to the market. EVNow’s EVs on Display event held in Hermanus this past weekend showed just how much progress has been made over the past 6 or 7 years. I attended, and throughout my trip, I had an all-electric experience. Hermanus is about 123km southeast of Cape Town and I was excited to see that upon arrival, my ride from Cape Town International airport to Hermanus was all electric. The organizers of the EVs on Display event had kindly organized an all-electric BYD Sealion 07. It was the AWD version with the 91kWh battery pack. I had the pleasure of driving this lovely BYD Sealion 07 to Hermanaus. We even stopped at a popular farm store (Peregrine Farm Store) along the way where there is a 25kW DC charger operated by Audi South Africa and Rubicon. We didn’t need to stop for a charge because the car still had around 70% state of charge but I just wanted to get a feel for the place. Therefore, we stopped to get some snacks and charged the car for about 20 minutes. All in all, it was a lovely drive on the wonderful roads in the Western Cape.
On the day of the EVs on Display Event, I got more joy, as there was a display of probably the widest selection of BEVs I have seen at a single event in South Africa. The range of electric vehicles available in South Africa for consumers to buy is growing all the time and this was also clear to see at Hermanus High School. On display were an impressive lineup of electric models that demonstrated the diversity of EV technology. Standout models included the MINI Aceman, Volvo EX90, BYD Sealion7, Mercedes-Benz G580 EQ, MG Cyberster, Tesla Model X, and Audi etron GT. The exhibition also highlighted the versatility of electric conversion technology through displays of a classic VW Beetle and a converted minibus taxi, showcasing how traditional vehicles can be transformed for sustainable transport. The minibus taxi industry is a key pillar of South Africa’s economic landscape, transporting millions of South Africans every day. With a large fleet of ICE minibuses on the road, feasibility studies into converting some of these to electric are being carried out by several institutions. Other popular EVs on display were the Geely Riddara BEV pickup and the BYD Shark 06 PHEV.
On the way back to Cape Town, we had the lovely Volvo EX90 BEV. It was truly an electric weekend. It was a big improvement from the previous events I have attended, and this inaugural EVNow event was a huge success. The organizers must be commended for providing the general public in Hermanus and the nearby areas with a platform to experience electric mobility.
The event also showed that South Africa is very much ready for electric mobility. The EVs on Display event also showcased the practical capabilities of electric vehicles through several long-distance journeys to Hermanus. Kobus van Rensburg, whose company Electronia imports Energica motorcycles, demonstrated the reliability of commercial electric vehicles by driving a Mercedes-Benz eSprinter fully-electric panel van from Vanderbijlpark in Gauteng to the event. Adding to the long-distance showcase, Francois Malan from Enviro Auto made the journey from Gauteng in the fully-electric Riddara RD6 double cab, proving the viability of electric bakkies (pickups) for extended travel. He was joined by Ryan Jarret, who drove his electric MINI Cooper to the event. Jarrett, known for producing an electric road trip series hosted on YouTube, brought additional expertise and media attention to the show.
Images by Remeredzai
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