The New-Energy Vehicle (NEV) segment doubled its share of South Africa’s new-car market last year, largely due to growth in hybrid sales. The Cars.co.za Industry Report 2025 details the market shift and reveals our site’s most searched BEVs and HEVs.
The New-Energy Vehicle market in South Africa remains a small segment, but one accelerating rapidly off a low base. The collective NEV market share doubled in 2024, climbing from 1.47% in 2023 to 3.0% of the total new-vehicle market. This represented a record 15 611 units sold in 2024.
While the market posted 100.6% year-on-year growth in 2024, the volume is heavily concentrated in specific technologies. As the NEV market took shape, the segment showed high volatility, with significant year-on-year gains of 421.7% in 2022 and 65.7% in 2023, clearly demonstrating expansion is happening off a minimal sales base, but the current growth story is overwhelmingly about the petrol-electric hybrid!
Watch Jacob Moshokoa’s video review of the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid:
Corolla Cross Hybrids spur on NEV sales growth
The recently released Cars.co.za Industry Report 2025 states that sales of petrol-electric hybrid vehicles (HEVs) are responsible for the lion’s share of NEV volume in Mzansi. In Q1 2025, HEV sales grew 14.8% year-on-year to 2 970 units, constituting a massive 85.2% of the total NEV volume for the quarter.
Download the Cars.co.za Industry Report 2025
This robust performance indicates that only sales of hybrids, including Plug-in Hybrids (PHEVs), are showing signs of potential for significant, sustainable growth. The growing popularity of hybrids is largely attributable to a single vehicle: our calculations suggest that hybrid derivatives of the locally-produced Toyota Corolla Cross represented nearly 75% of the entire HEV segment’s sales volume in 2024.
Ciro De Siena reviews the Toyota Corolla Hybrid, which is also locally produced:
This local assembly and the deep-seated consumer trust in the Toyota badge and its reliability have been instrumental in establishing the HEV as the default NEV choice for South African buyers.
Further introductions of hybrid powertrains in more affordable small-crossover models, such as the new Chery Tiggo Cross HEV (pictured below), also augur well for sustained growth in the sales of hybrids.
BEV momentum stalls…
In stark contrast, the pure Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) segment is struggling to gain mass-market traction. According to the report, pure electric vehicle sales are “stuck in reverse” in the new vehicle market. BEV sales dipped 16.4% year-on-year to 276 units in Q1 2025. This slowdown follows a trend seen in late 2024, where quarterly sales dropped compared to the previous year.
While the 2024 annual total of 1 257 units did exceed the 2023 figure of 929 units, the Q1 2025 reversal highlights profound consumer caution. It stems from a lack of faith in the public charging infrastructure and Eskom’s ability to stabilise its electricity supply, which continues to erode confidence in BEV tech.
Consumers are not only concerned about load-shedding interrupting their ability to charge, but also the long-term cost and environmental impact of charging their BEVs using grid power generated by coal-burning stations. These fundamental anxieties are preventing the transition from moving faster.
And then there’s the affordability issue. For the BEV segment to truly accelerate, the market requires a “breakthrough car”. The new BYD Dolphin Surf – South Africa’s most affordable electric passenger car offered by a mainstream brand – could be a defining moment for the new-BEV market, as the model’s starting price (R339 900, in September 2025) is comparable to that of a new, high-spec VW Polo Vivo.
See also: BYD Dolphin Surf (2025) Launch Review
However, the report stresses that price alone is unlikely to be the sole determining factor in creating an EV revolution, as the underlying concerns regarding the grid and charging infrastructure persist.
Watch David Taylor’s video review of the Omoda C8 PHEV:
PHEVs are outselling BEVs, too
The Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) segment is emerging as a crucial link, offering electric capability with the invaluable security of fuel-based range, mitigating the core consumer fear of range anxiety and load-shedding. PHEV sales increased by a significant 70.9% year-on-year to 241 units in Q1 2025. This rapid growth suggests the segment is well-positioned to exceed its 2024 record of 728 units.
Notably, sales of plug-in hybrids in Q4 2024 actually outstripped those of fully electric vehicles, ending the quarter on 260 units. The BMW X1 xDrive30e was South Africa’s best-selling new PHEV in 2024.
Furthermore, PHEVs recently launched by Chinese car brands such as BYD, Chery, Omoda and Jaecoo (with other new brands in the pipeline), are expected to significantly boost the NEV tally going forward.
Watch Ash Oldfield’s video review of the Volvo EX30:
Used Market Demand: SA’s Most-Searched NEVs
According to Cars.co.za used-car data, which measures prospective car buyers’ purchase intent by the leads submitted on our site, South African motoring consumers are actively searching for:
- Most In-Demand Pure EV: The Volvo EX30 has quickly become the most in-demand pure EV in South Africa based on leads submitted on Cars.co.za in 2025.
- Most In-Demand Used Hybrid: The Toyota Corolla Cross is the champion of used hybrid demand, with its lead share growing substantially from 0.22% in 2022 to 1.15% in 2025, demonstrating the strong residual value and consumer confidence in its reliability.
- Segment Diversification: Demand is also strong for new-generation hybrid models such as the Haval Jolion small crossover and H6 family car, signalling that buyers are ready for well-priced, feature-rich options beyond those offered by Toyota South Africa Motors.
Top 10 most-searched Hybrids on Cars.co.za
| Make, Model, Variant | Lead Share |
| Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid | 0.16% |
| Toyota RAV4 Hybrid | 0.04% |
| Toyota Corolla Hybrid | 0.04% |
| Haval H6 Hybrid | 0.02% |
| Toyota Corolla Cross GR-S | 0.02% |
| Haval Jolion Hybrid | 0.02% |
| Toyota Auris Hybrid | 0.01% |
| Haval Jolion Pro | 0.01% |
| Suzuki Grand Vitara 1.5 | 0.01% |
| BMW i8 Coupe | 0.01% |
Watch Ciro De Siena’s video review of the BYD Dolphin BEV
Top 10 most-searched BEVs on Cars.co.za
| Make, Model, Variant | Lead Share |
| Volvo EX30 | 0.007% |
| BMW i3 Standard | 0.006% |
| BYD Dolphin | 0.003% |
| Mini Hatch Cooper SE | 0.003% |
| Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge | 0.003% |
| Mercedes-Benz EQB 350 | 0.003% |
| BMW iX3 | 0.003% |
| GWM Ora 400 | 0.003% |
| BYD Atto 3 Extended | 0.003% |
| GWM Ora 300 | 0.002% |
Hybrids remain the key to sustained growth in NEV sales
The fact that Cars.co.za’s used-car search data shows notable growth in demand for hybrids (from 2020 to 2025) confirms that South Africans are warming to the NEVs, but that they much prefer HEVs to BEVs to meet their energy-efficient motoring needs. While BEV sales struggle, the hybrid has established itself as the practical, volume-driving solution for the immediate future of South African mobility.
Released in conjunction with DealerCon 2025, the Cars.co.za Industry Report 2025 provides smart insights based on the proprietary market data of South Africa’s leading digital automotive marketplace, complemented by finance and consumer insights from partner TransUnion. The report utilises Cars.co.za’s lead and stock data from 2015 onwards to illustrate how much has changed in a decade, thereby enabling automotive dealers to identify market-demand hot spots.
Download the Cars.co.za Industry Report 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much did the New-Energy Vehicle (NEV) segment grow in 2024?
A: The NEV market share doubled in 2024, climbing from 1.47% in 2023 to 3.0% of the total new-vehicle market, representing a record 15,611 units sold.
Q: What percentage of NEV volume did Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs) constitute in Q1 2025?
A: HEV sales grew 14.8% year-on-year to 2,970 units, constituting a massive 85.2% of the total NEV volume for the quarter, largely driven by the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid.
Q: How did pure Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales perform in Q1 2025?
A: BEV sales dipped 16.4% year-on-year to 276 units in Q1 2025. This decline highlights consumer caution related to the public charging infrastructure and Eskom’s electricity supply instability.
Q: How did Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) sales grow in Q1 2025?
A: PHEV sales increased by a significant 70.9% year-on-year to 241 units in Q1 2025. Sales of plug-in hybrids actually outstripped those of fully electric vehicles in Q4 2024.
Q: What are the most in-demand used NEVs according to Cars.co.za’s search data?
A: The most in-demand pure EV is the Volvo EX30, while the Toyota Corolla Cross is the champion of used hybrid demand.
