PHEV sales in South Africa surged some 486% year on year in H1 2026, driving growth in the country’s overall new-energy vehicle (NEV) market. Here are all the details…
- NEV total up 84.2% year on year in H1 2026
- Sales in SA’s PHEV segment rocket 486.7%
- EV registrations grow 232.8%; HEVs up 15%
Industry-representative body Naamsa has released official sales figures for new-energy vehicles (NEVs) – a segment comprising traditional hybrids (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and fully electric vehicles (EVs) – in South Africa for the 2nd quarter of the year. And these numbers allow us to calculate total NEV sales for H1 2026.
Based on Naamsa’s latest quarterly figures (combined with its Q1 numbers), our calculations suggest total NEV sales in Mzansi in H1 2026 increased 84.2% year on year to 13 196 units. For the record, this NEV total translates to some 4.2% of South Africa’s overall new-vehicle market (at 315 303 units) for the opening half of the year.
It’s worth keeping in mind the local market’s latest NEV sales performance was strongly supported – as Naamsa points out – by “new entrants starting to report new-vehicle sales data” (as well as a “broader range of product offerings” in this space). For instance, NEV automaker BYD began reporting sales figures to the industry-representative body in March 2026 and has averaged 740 sales a month since.
According to our calculations, PHEV sales in South Africa rocketed 486.7% year on year to 4 623 units in H1 2026 (admittedly off a fairly low base), meaning this segment accounted for 35.0% of total NEV sales during the reporting period. Meanwhile, EV sales for the opening half of 2026 surged 232.8% year on year to 1 897 units (or 14.4% of the NEV total).
Finally, our sums suggest HEV sales in South Africa increased 15.0% year on year to 6 676 units during this 6-month reporting period. As such, traditional hybrids again represented the majority of local NEV registrations in H1 2026, though it’s interesting to note this segment’s share dropped sharply to 50.6% (from H1 2025’s lofty figure of 81.0%).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How significantly did South Africa’s overall new-energy vehicle (NEV) market grow in H1 2026?
A: Total NEV sales in South Africa surged by 84.2% year on year to reach 13 196 units during the first half of 2026. This performance allowed NEVs to capture a 4.2% share of the country’s total new-vehicle market (315 303 units) over the same 6-month period.
Q: What drove the massive surge in PHEV and EV sales during H1 2026?
A: Growth was fueled by a broader selection of product offerings and new market entrants reporting data to Naamsa — such as BYD, which averaged 740 monthly sales since joining in March 2026. Consequently, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) sales rocketed by 486.7% year on year to 4 623 units, while fully electric vehicle (EV) sales grew 232.8% to 1 897 units.
Q: Do traditional hybrids (HEVs) still hold the largest share of the NEV market in Mzansi?
A: Yes, traditional hybrids (HEVs) remain the largest single NEV sub-segment in South Africa, expanding 15.0% year on year to 6 676 units in H1 2026. However, due to the sharp rise in PHEV and EV popularity, HEV market share declined from 81.0% in H1 2025 down to 50.6% in H1 2026.
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