View noticesEV sales more than double as SA’s electrification drive gains pace
South Africa's new energy vehicle (EV) market maintained its momentum in July, with sales more than doubling year on year, according to figures released by the Automotive Business Council (naamsa).
The council reported 3,096 EV sales in July 2026, up from 1,506 units in the same month last year. Year-to-date EV sales reached 16,289 units – an increase of 88.0% on the corresponding period in 2025 – and now account for 4.4% of total domestic new vehicle sales through July.
The 2026 year-to-date mix comprises 8,078 hybrid EVs, 5,851 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and 2,360 battery electric vehicles (BEVs), pointing to broadening consumer uptake across the different electrification technologies.
Plug-in vehicles – PHEVs and BEVs combined – accounted for 54.4% of EV sales in July, overtaking conventional hybrids for the first time and marking what naamsa described as a deepening of the country's electrification transition.
The council also noted the early emergence of electrified commercial vehicles across light, medium and extra-heavy applications, suggesting the shift towards new energy technologies is beginning to extend beyond the passenger vehicle segment.
Naamsa said the key policy priority going forward is to support an adaptable, multi-pathway transition, while working to convert rising domestic EV demand into local manufacturing capacity, component production, investment, skills development and employment.