How many hybrids and EVs were sold in South Africa over the opening 3 quarters of 2023? Let’s take a closer look at the sales figures for new-energy vehicles…

Naamsa has released official sales figures for electric vehicles (EVs), traditional hybrids and plug-in hybrids for the opening 3 quarters of 2023, with registrations in South Africa’s new-energy vehicle (NEV) space increasing 67%, year on year.

According to the organisation, sales in the NEV segment – that is, including battery-powered models, traditional hybrids and plug-in hybrids, but seemingly not mild hybrids – for the first 9 months of the year reached 5 165 units. By our maths, that translates to 1.29% of the total new-vehicle market (401315 units) over the opening 3 quarters of 2023.

The locally built Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid is likely driving the highest volumes in SA’s NEV segment.

Since we’ve already covered the first half of the year, let’s take a closer look at NEV sales in the 3rd quarter. Naamsa says 2019 units were sold in this space between the start of July and the end of September 2023, representing an increase of 111.9% compared with the 3rd quarter of 2022.

Traditional hybrids – represented in the local market by vehicles such as dual-powered versions of Toyota’sCorolla hatchandsedan, the strong-selling (and locally built)Corolla Crossand theRAV4, plus various Lexus models as well as theHonda Fitand Haval’sH6andJolionhybrids – predictably made up the bulk of this figure, accounting for 1 712 units in Q3 2023. The traditional hybrid’s total over the first 9 months of the year thus stood at 4273 units.

Next, fully electric vehicles accounted for218 unitsin Q3 2023. For the record, EV sales over the opening 3 quarters of the year reached 720 units, exceeding the 502 units sold over the entirety of 2022. Sales in this (premium-brand dominated) section of the market are likely to continue growing in the coming months, with models such as GWM’s Ora 03 – positioned as Mzansi’s most affordable EV – having just launched and others on the way.

Finally, 89 units of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) were registered in South Africa in the 3rd quarter of 2023, with this 3-month period outperforming the first half of the year (83 units) and pushing the year-to-date (until the end of September, that is) tally to 172 units. Examples of such vehicles include the T8 versions of Volvo’s XC60 and XC90, along with BMW’s X5 xDrive50e plus the various P300e and P400e derivatives in Jaguar Land Rover’s line-up.

From a broader perspective, Naamsa again called for a “timely” NEV policy framework to “support investment decisions for NEV manufacturing” and “safeguard export volumes into the European market”, saying such a move was “imperative for the domestic automotive industry’s inevitable transition to eco-friendly vehicles”.

Volvo’s local EV range currently includes this C40 Recharge and a pair of XC40 Recharge derivatives.

“The long-awaited announcement by the minister of finance in the Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement 2023 on 1 November 2023 recognised the significance of the automotive industry to the country’s economy and that the transition to new-energy vehicles posed an existential threat to South African vehicle production. In this regard, the minister said that National Treasury planned to implement tax and expenditure measures to support the industry’s transition to NEVs,” explained Naamsa.

“However, the details for this policy would only be announced in the 2024 Budget Review with considerations to domestic-market demand stimulus measures, establishment of renewable energy-based charging infrastructure and production support. Part of the broader strategy includes collaborating with other African countries to develop battery production capacity on the continent, by pooling the critical-mineral resource base that Africa was endowed with.”

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