BEV Sales Down 17% In South Africa In 2025

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Some bad news from South Africa. In a year which saw the overall market reach levels not seen in well over a decade, BEV sales were unfortunately down 17%. BEV sales were already very low, and one had hoped sales would kick on following years of decent growth, albeit from a very small base. Whilst 596,818 vehicles were sold in South Africa in 2025 in the overall market, the highest number in over a decade and up 15.7% year on year, only 1,018 passenger battery electric vehicles were sold in South Africa last year, down 17% from 1,231 in 2024. That means BEVs made up only 0.17% of all the vehicles sold in South Africa in 2025. The only other segment that reported a decline in sales was the traditional plugless hybrid segment (HEVs), where sales were down 6% in 2025. In the HEV segment, 12,751 units were sold in 2025, compared to 13,552 in 2024.

On the other hand, the plugin hybrid segment is one that looks like it’s starting to take off in South Africa. Plug-in hybrids are the hottest thing in South Africa right now in terms of sales growth. Sales of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) were up 280% in 2025 compared with sales figures from 2024. That’s because 738 PHEVs were sold in 2024 and 2,808 PHEVs were sold in 2025 in the passenger vehicle segment in South Africa. Before we look into the individual performance of BEV models, let’s look at a summary of the current overall market conditions according to naamsa. naamsa is South Africa’s Automotive Council, and for over 87 years, naamsa has been the voice and ambassador for the South African automotive industry. naamsa says South Africa’s new vehicle market delivered a landmark performance in 2025, finally recovering above 2019 pre-pandemic levels and hitting highs not seen in a decade. 

This upward swing, closely tied to broader economic improvements, was significantly buoyed by a cumulative 150 bps in interest rate cuts since September 2024, record-low vehicle inflation, and an influx of affordable model imports. A significant easing of vehicle inflation, which hit a record low of 1.5% — the lowest since tracking began in 2008 — was also a major factor. So, in such a positive environment, why then are BEV sales sliding?

Let’s now take a look at the top selling BEVs in South Africa. The Volvo EX30 was top of the charts again. Although, sales dipped significantly from 406 units in 2024 to 112 units in 2025. The Mercedes-Benz EQE was in second place with 102 units in 2025, up from just 20 units in 2024. In third place in 2025 was the MINI Aceman, with 79 units. In fourth place was the Volvo XC40 with 60 units, followed by the MINI Hatch 3dr with 56 units. One thing to note is that BYD South Africa, along with a few others, are not yet reporting their sales figures for the South African market. 

The BYD SA move is a strange one, as BYD has been ramping up its dealer network in South Africa to support a growing range of models offered in the South African market, including the BYD Dolphin Surf (BYD Seagull). Let’s hope BYD South Africa will start reporting its sales figures soon. Above is a look at the available BEV models in South Africa. Some of the models do not show any sales in 2025, such as the VW ID.4, because these models were not offered on the market for outright purchase yet after some pilot programs. Also note that some models offered in 2024 were not offered in 2025, and some models were only introduced in 2025. Here is a chart showing sales of  BEVs in both 2024 and in 2025.

The explosive growth of PHEV sales in 2025 probably shows that some South Africans are still price and range conscious. It could be that PHEVs on the market now, mostly with electric mode driving range above 80 km (and over 800 km overall), give them a sense of security and insurance from range anxiety. Charging infrastructure is growing quite nicely in South Africa, so this should provide more comfort for drivers. The other reason could be the fact that most of the BEVs offered in South Africa are still quite pricey for most consumers to be tempted to make the switch, whereas several PHEVs offered in the market are priced at competitive prices relative to their full ICE equivalents.

Looks like a lot of awareness and education is still needed to help encourage adoption of BEVs in South Africa. That is what Ryan Jarret is trying to do with his series of all-electric road trips in South Africa.

Images: Some BEVs in Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa.