Hybrids, not fully Electric Vehicles, power South Africa’s green motoring shift

To be brutally honest, I don’t know how South Africa is going to navigate an Electric Vehicle (EV) future. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for low emissions, instant torque and less noise pollution – but I don’t think Saffers are quite ready for it.

Earlier this week, in a mall parking lot, I almost stepped into the path of a car I didn’t hear coming. The only sound was the faint hum of tyres on cement. It turned out to be a Toyota Corolla Cross hybrid, running silently on battery power.

That moment made me realise the challenge: in a country where pedestrians often ignore sidewalks and cross roads without looking, silent EVs may need more than just advanced safety systems – they might need seriously loud hooters.

What can’t be ignored, though, is how quickly hybrids like that Corolla Cross are being snapped up.

The truth is, South Africa’s shift to cleaner motoring is gathering pace, and it’s hybrid vehicles – not fully electric cars – that are leading the way.

According to AutoTrader’s latest Mid-Year Industry Report, New Energy Vehicle (NEV) sales jumped 82% year-on-year in the first half of 2024. Hybrids made up 84% of all NEV sales between January and June, making them the real driver of eco-friendly motoring in the country.

Corolla Cross tops the charts

At the forefront is the locally built Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, South Africa’s best-selling NEV – and the one that would have rolled over me had I not been alert the other day. The model accounted for 700 of the 2,049 hybrids sold in the first six months of the year. In total, 2,446 NEVs were sold.

By comparison, fully electric vehicles grew by 65% year-on-year but remain a smaller slice of the market. The top-selling EV, the Volvo EX30, registered just 64 sales over the same period.

George Mienie, CEO of AutoTrader, said buyers want balance: “Hybrids are demonstrating that the path to cleaner mobility doesn’t have to compromise everyday life or come at a high cost.”

Toyota continues to dominate the hybrid market. The RAV4 Hybrid sits in second place with 177 units sold, though at a much higher average selling price (R643,000) than the Corolla Cross (R434,408). See what I meant when I said “affordable”?

Other Toyota models in the top 10 include the Hilux, Fortuner, and Corolla, while Lexus appears with the NX. The Hilux and Fortuner use mild-hybrid technology, which cannot power the vehicles on electricity alone but improves fuel efficiency and performance.

Chinese brands gaining ground

Chinese manufacturers are also entering the space. The Haval H6, Haval Jolion, and GWM Tank 300 all made the top 10. New arrivals from Chery, MG, Jaecoo and Omoda could further change the picture in the months ahead.

Then some EVs are not that popular yet. Recently, I was in Hong Kong, and the BYD brand was very, very popular. Though there are Teslas everywhere in that bustling city, I have a funny feeling that in a few years, BYD (Build Your Dream) will have quite a large share of that market; who knows, it may, though still relatively unknown, even gain more traction here.

Luxury brands have a smaller footprint, with just two premium hybrids making the top 10 — the Volvo XC90 plug-in hybrid and the Lexus NX.

Price remains a deciding factor for consumers. The average selling price of a used hybrid rose 3% year-on-year to R696,169. EVs, meanwhile, average 39% more than hybrids, underscoring the affordability gap.

A bridge to EVs

Globally, electric cars are accelerating, with China accounting for nearly two-thirds of sales, followed by Europe (17%) and the United States (7%), according to BloombergNEF.

South Africa, however, is taking a more measured path. With persistent load shedding and limited charging infrastructure, hybrids currently make the most sense, offering petrol backup alongside meaningful efficiency gains.

As government policy evolves and energy reliability improves, full EVs are expected to play a greater role. For now, hybrids are South Africa’s practical bridge to a greener motoring future.