The future is upon us, whether we like it or not. You can dig your heels in all you want, but there's no denying that Electric Vehicles (EV) are going to be a part of our future. Numerous manufacturers have already stated that they're going to be phasing out their Internal Combustion Engines (ICE) while others have committed to electrification in some shape or form.
Related: How suitable are electric cars to South African conditions?
Resistance, as they say, may be futile and while South Africa generally lags behind by a fair margin, we too are ramping up for the transition. If you're one of those that are embracing the future and see the benefits of EV, you may very well be considering an EV to complement your garage.
Local electric
As the charging network grows, it's becoming more convenient to own an EV. Battery technology is also progressing at a rapid rate. Sadly, our government is lagging behind and is yet to offer the sort of incentives that have been introduced abroad. This means that EVs are still rather expensive locally, which results in a longer period of time before the high purchase price is offset by the fuel and economy savings.
At the time of compiling this list, South Africa only has a handful of cars, primarily from BMW/MINI, Porsche, Jaguar, and Volvo. 2022 does look a little more promising though with a number of new models earmarked for release throughout the course of the year.
Here's how the current range fares, from cheapest to most expensive.
2021 models
Mini Cooper SE
The MINI Cooper SE is an attractive, practical solution to EV mobility. Available in two trim levels, you can choose from a basic, no-fuss trim that still oozes character and excitement, or opt for the higher spec-level and enjoy some additional creature comforts. While the range is somewhat limited at a claimed 217 km, daily battery top-ups will ensure that you can get to where you need to go in and around the city.
- Two trims: SE and Collection 2021
- 135 kW / 270 Nm
- 32.6 kWh battery pack
- 217 km range
- Price: from R686 400
BMW i3
One of South Africa's first EV offerings, the BMW i3 remains a solid choice. Recent updates have seen the battery capacity increased for a claimed range of at least 260 km. Should you still have a little range anxiety, the Range Extender (REx) will see you go further while using only a fraction of the fuel you ordinarily would. The REx includes a small internal combustion engine that serves only to generate an electrical charge for the batteries, rather than power the wheels like a hybrid would.
- Four trims: i3 eDrive, i3s eDrive, i3 eDrive REx, i3s eDrive REx
- 125 kW (i3s 135 kW) / 250 Nm (i3s 270 Nm)
- 37.9 kWh
- 260 km range
- Price: from R754 200
Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge Twin
This newcomer is set to take the local EV world by storm. Attractive pricing combined with Volvo's legendary safety standards ensures that the charming XC40 P8 slots into your lifestyle without requiring any significant sacrifices. The rather powerful twin-motor drivetrain will also see to it that you get off the line right with a 0 - 100 km/h time of only 4.9-seconds.
- Single trim level
- 300 kW / 660 Nm
- 78 kWh
- 418 km range
- Price: R1 200 000
Jaguar I-Pace
South Africa's first 400km+ EV, the Jaguar I-Pace landed in South Africa a few years ago and has been well received. The impressive performance showed that EVs don't need to be dreary and boring while the styling ensures that you make a statement that is typical Jaguar. Jaguar's EV efforts in SA extend past the I-Pace and it included a R13-million investment into the Jaguar PowerWay, a network of over 80 charging points at key facilities and along major arterial highways to help ease the burden of finding a charging point when travelling long distances.
- Single trim level
- 294 kW / 696 Nm
- 90 kWh
- 470 km range
- Price: R1 999 900
Porsche Taycan & Taycan Cross Tourismo
While it may seem like sacrilege to some, Porsche has pulled out all the stops with their first EV introduction to South Africa. You won't find a faster EV locally than the Porsche Taycan Turbo that is capable of hitting 100 km/h from a standstill in only 3.2-seconds. Unfortunately, this performance comes at a price and the base-spec Taycan will still cost you more than R2.2-million while the Turbo model retails for R3 461 000. The Cross Tourismo, recently launched, offers similar performance as the regular Taycan but fit it into a shooting-brake body style for additional practicality and convenience.
- Three trims: Taycan, Taycan 4S, Taycan Turbo
- 300 kW (S 390kW, Turbo 500 kW) - 345 Nm (S 640 Nm, Turbo 850 Nm)
- 79.2 kWh or 93.4 kWh (Performance Battery Plus)
- Range combined (WLTP) (Performance Battery) - 354 km
Range combined (WLTP) (Performance Battery Plus) - 407 km
- Price: from R2 262 000
Cars to look out for
In the not-too-distant future, both Volkswagen and BMW will be releasing new electric models. While BMW has an existing EV structure in place, we are looking forward to the release of the iX, iX3, and i4 that will cover both sedan and SUV segments for the German marque.
Volkswagen has already teased us with the eGolf and soon we'll be sampling the ID.3 ahead of the imminent ID.4 release which will see their first full EV on sale to South Africa.
The rumours around the water cooler also suggest that KIA may be looking at bringing in the EV6 while we still await the Audi e-Tron and e-Tron GT models.
Mercedes-Benz is also planning a rather large onslaught in 2022 with their EQ range. This is said to comprise of EQA, EQB, and EQC SUVs as well as the EQE and EQS sedans, following their current naming conventions.
