SA's top-selling EV? Chery Q sales surge in October

Local registrations of the Chery Q surged in October 2026, seeing the Chinese newcomer rank as SA’s top-selling EV – among brands that report sales to Naamsa, anyway…

Q registrations double month on month
Some 438 units were reported in October
SA’s top-selling EV among reporting OEMs

In just its second month on the market, the new Chery Q breached the 400-unit barrier, making it South Africa’s top-selling fully electric vehicle (EV) for October 2026 – among the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that report individual model sales figures to Naamsa, that is.

As a reminder, orders for the Chinese brand’s Q-badged EV opened in Mzansi at the start of September 2026. While the Wuhu-based automaker’s local division registered 214 units in that launch month, the figure more than doubled to 438 units (again all registered via the dealer channel) in October.

*The Chery Q was SA’s top-selling EV in October, among reporting OEMs.*

In the process, the Chery Q ranked as the Chinese brand’s second-most popular model for the month, beaten only by the Tiggo 4 Cross (1 924 units). In fact, it outsold the Tiggo 7 (251 units), Tiggo 8 (111 units) and Tiggo 9 (30 units) combined. That saw the Q account for a significant 15.9% of Chery’s total (2 754 units) for October.

Based on Naamsa’s figures, the Chery Q was thus Mzansi’s most popular EV in October. However, it’s worth noting the likes of Geely, Dongfeng, iCaur, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche – which all have EVs in their respective local line-ups – don’t currently report sales figures to the industry-representative body, while BMW (including Mini) reports only once a quarter.

Still, for the sake of comparison, Naamsa’s figures show that BYD Auto South Africa registered 248 units of the Dolphin Surf in October 2026, along with 25 units of the Dolphin, 16 units of the Atto 3, 11 units of the Sealion 7 and 4 units of the Seal. For the record, BYD Atto 2 EV sales are combined with the nameplate’s PHEV registrations (186 units)

Meanwhile, BAIC sold 43 units of the Arcfox T1 in this model’s launch month. Volvo registered 23 examples of the EX30 (and 7 more of the Cross Country iteration), along with 4 units of the EC40 and a single ES90 unit.

*BYD registered 248 units of the Dolphin Surf in October.*

Toyota’s bZ4X ended October on 9 units (while no Lexus RZ sales were reported), with the MG Cyberster reaching 5 units. GWM reported a combined Ora 5 figure of 336 units (including turbopetrol, hybrid and EV derivatives), while Lexus reported 6 units of the ES, with that range likewise including both EV and hybrid variants. Similarly, the EV share of the Jaecoo J5‘s 350-unit total is unclear.

As a reminder, the battery-powered Chery Q starts at R349 900, seeing it slot into 4th place on the list of SA’s most affordable EVs, behind the Geely E2 Aspire (R339 900), BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort (R341 900) and Dongfeng Box E2 430 (R349 000).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: What is South Africa’s top-selling electric vehicle (EV) as of October 2026?

A: The Chery Q emerged as South Africa’s top-selling fully electric vehicle in October 2026 among Naamsa-reporting automakers, registering 438 units in its second month on the market.

Q: How did Chery Q sales perform compared to other models in Chery’s South African lineup?

A: Registering 438 units, the Chery Q became the brand’s second-most popular model in October 2026 behind the Tiggo 4 Cross (1 924 units), accounting for 15.9% of Chery’s total monthly sales and outselling the Tiggo 7, Tiggo 8 and Tiggo 9 combined.

Q: How much does the Chery Q cost and where does it rank on South Africa’s cheapest EV list?

A: Priced from R349 900 for the Comfort derivative, the Chery Q ranks as South Africa’s 4th most affordable electric vehicle, sitting behind the Geely E2 Aspire, BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort and Dongfeng Box E2 430.