Can the New Wave of BEV & PHEV Pickups Increase EV Gross sales in South Africa?

Pickups are a giant deal in South Africa. The Toyota Hilux, the Ford Ranger, and the Isuzu D-Max often function prominently on the prime of South Africa’s car gross sales charts. The Toyota Hilux often tops the annual gross sales charts. The Hilux was prime of the charts once more in June 2025. The gross sales numbers for June 2025 are in and there have been 3,035 Hiluxes bought in South Africa final month. These have been adopted by 2,318 Ford Rangers, 2,132 Toyota Corolla Crosses, 1,962 VW Polo Vivos, and 1,678 Isuzu D-Maxes.

To five Greatest Promoting Autos In South Africa, June 2026

As you’ll be able to see from the desk above, three out of the highest 5 finest promoting autos in South Africa are pickups. Basically over 99% of autos bought in South Africa are nonetheless inner combustion autos. 515,712 autos have been bought in South Africa in 2024. Only one,257 BEVs have been bought in South Africa, up 35% from 929 models bought in 2023. Meaning BEVs solely had a market share of 0.24%. That’s nonetheless very low! With solely 3,212 BEVs bought since 2018, it’s clear to see that gross sales of BEVs have been gradual in South Africa in comparison with related auto markets world wide. That is as a result of restricted number of BEV fashions within the nation, coupled with excessive import duties and taxes levied on electrical autos. 

Trying on the PHEV market in South Africa, 737 PHEVs have been bought in 2024, up 100% from 368 models bought in 2023. Nevertheless, PHEVs solely made up 0.14% of complete car gross sales in South Africa in 2024. There weren’t any BEV of PHEV pickups obtainable final yr in South Africa, probably the most common car segments. That has modified or is altering now in 2025, so will the brand new vary of BEVs and PHEVs out now plus these coming quickly to South Africa shake up the South African pickup market, and finally the whole market? Let’s check out among the BEVs and PHEVs within the South African market together with an inventory of the favored pickups which can be at the moment obtainable in South Africa.

This checklist tries to map autos with related specs (energy/torque and so on.) to see which ICE pickups in the marketplace are kind of carefully associated to the upcoming BEV and PHEV pickups which have both been launched or confirmed for South Africa. The BEV and PHEV pickup fashions listed below are double-cab choices which have been confirmed for South Africa, and due to this fact the checklist leaves out single-cab ICE pickup choices. Single-cab ICE pickups contribute considerably to annual car gross sales in South Africa. Hopefully within the close to future we will additionally get single-cab BEV and PHEV pickup choices in South Africa.

Checklist of BEV and PHEV pickups confirmed for South Africa together with an inventory of comparable, common ICE pickups

So, South Africans this yr could have an honest pool of BEV and PHEV pickups to select from. Will this assist increase EV gross sales in South Africa? Most likely. Let’s check out the same market, Australia, to get a really feel for the way it’s evolving Down Beneath and the way this might be related to what’s to come back in South Africa. Identical to in South Africa, Australians love pickups. Pickups are generally known as “utes” in Australia, and the same old suspects shine there as properly. These are the Toyota Hilux, the Ford Ranger, and the Isuzu D-Max. Simply over half one million autos are bought in South Africa annually, and about 1 million in Australia annually, so the Aussie market is about double the South African market.

The PHEV BYD Shark 06 pickup has already landed with a bang in Australia, and in June it was the fifth finest promoting car in Australia, serving to to propel BYD to fifth finest promoting auto model in Australia. The BYD Shark 06 is already on sale in South Africa. Sadly, BYD South South Africa doesn’t report its gross sales figures, so we do not know how properly or how badly BYD’s fashions are performing in South Africa. Come on, BYD, do the suitable factor and begin reporting gross sales figures like everybody else does!

Worth clever, the Shark is priced from R959,900, making it very aggressive with equal ICE pickups in the marketplace. One other model that has seen its ICE car gross sales and model develop in South Africa is Nice Wall Motors (GWM). The approaching launch of the P500 PHEV pickup with its 110 km electrical vary ought to assist increase PHEV gross sales in South Africa. The car is already getting rave critiques in Australia, the place it is named the Cannon Alpha.

Now to some thrilling full BEVs: Geely is bringing the Geely Riddara BEV pickup vary to South Africa in collaboration with Enviro Automotive. The lineup contains the top-of-the-range dual-motor variant powered by an 86 kWh battery pack paired with electrical motors, giving a mixed 315 kW of energy. This “Extremely” model will get an 86 kWh battery and supplies a variety of as much as 455 km (NEDC). The twin-motor setup within the all-wheel drive fashions of the Geely Riddara RD6 supplies 315 kW of energy and 595 Nm of torque. All of that is good for a 0–100 km/h time of round 4.5 seconds in response to the spec sheet. The RD6 has a frunk that may maintain 70L. The principle mattress has a 1,200L capability. Tow capability is listed as 3,000 kg. The RD6 helps as much as 11 kW AC charging. It has a number of energy shops to assist vehicle-to-load functionality (6 kW), which is a cool function that actually ought to come customary in modern-day EVs. Pricing isn’t but obtainable, however estimates vary from R900,000 to simply over R1,000,000, which makes them aggressive with equal ICE pickups in the marketplace.

The 63 kWh rear-wheel drive and the 73 kWh all-wheel drive variations will even be obtainable within the South African market quickly. The 63 kWh rear-wheel drive model has an LFP battery pack offering a variety of 377 km (NEDC). It has a single, rear-mounted electrical motor (max 200 kW and 384 Nm of torque). The all-wheel drive model has two variants, together with the “Professional” model with the 73 kWh battery pack (424 km NEDC vary). 

The Maxus eTerron 9 arrives later this yr as essentially the most highly effective pickup on the South African market at 325 kW and 700 Nm of torque. In actual fact, each the eTerron 9 and the BYD Shark 06 are extra highly effective than the favored ICE Ford Ranger Raptor and the ICE Toyota Hilux GR-Sport. The eTerron 9 is powered by a 102.2 kWh battery giving a variety of 430 km.

There are rumours of much more BEV and PHEV pickups being added to the South African market from firms corresponding to Changan and JAC. The extra, the merrier! Let’s hope we get extra BEV and PHEV pickups in South Africa quickly!