The Department of Trade, Industry, and Competition released an Auto Green Paper on the Advancement of New Energy Vehicles in May 2021. Through the paper, the government began a strategic plan to transition from internal combustion engine cars (ICEs) to electric vehicles (EVs). This move has been sparked by the necessity to adopt this new mobility that is already being embraced to significant levels in developed countries like the UK, China, and the USA. South Africa intends to keep its export capacity for raw materials used in manufacturing motor vehicles to developed countries. Currently, there are several independent and collective multi-organizational plans to promote Electric Mobility infrastructure. These initiatives point to a mass exodus from ICEs to EVs.
According to the 2021 Electric Vehicle Buyers Survey, South Africans are optimistic about owning electric vehicles. However, the report by AutoTrader also revealed the disparity between what people think is happening in South Africa’s EV market and what is going on. Although most people are not accurately informed, the report only shows that South Africans are willing and ready to adopt electric mobility.
This list follows from that optimism. Most people would like to own an electric vehicle during 2022 if possible. The list shows the most popular electric vehicles available in South Africa as of January 2022. The only popular exception to the cars here is a Tesla. In fact, according to the AutoTrader survey, it is the motor vehicle manufacturer that is most popular with South Africans. However, Tesla vehicles have been excluded because Tesla is not a car, and no Tesla Models have been introduced to the South African market so far. The vehicles in this list are a buying guide for early 2022 and will be updated as more EVs enter the market.
Mini Cooper SE
The Mini Cooper SE is the most affordable electric car in South Africa at the start of 2022. It is a small hatchback car with a length of 3.8 meters.
– Engine and Power
It can output 181 horsepower and has 270Nm torque. It can go from 0 to 62 km/h in 7.3 seconds.
– Electric Range
The Mini Cooper SE’s battery capacity is 32.6kWh. According to Mini, the car should last you between 183 km on a full charge. In addition, it supports a 50kW DC fast charge that should get you 80% battery in 36 minutes.
– Drive
Ginny Buckley, an EV (Electric Vehicle) reviewer at Electrifying, talks about driving the Mini Cooper SE. In her review of the car, she says, “…the smallish battery pack means it only weighs a hundred and thirty kilograms more than the normal Cooper. And that means that it is a lot of fun to drive.”
– Exterior Design
The Electric Vehicle (EV) is only available in the 3 door version (including the boot door). There is no 5 doors electric Mini Cooper. Apart from the SE, Mini has not produced any other EV. Its body is identical to all other Mini Coopers. The only notable difference is that the Mini SE has blotches of yellow in a few places around the body to signify its “electric” nature.
– Interior Design
Despite being a 3 door version of a Mini Cooper, the SE has room inside for 4 occupants. It has a small boot with a capacity of 211 liters, but this can be expanded by folding the back seats. There are two screens inside the car for user interaction with the var. The first screen displays digital meters and gauges and is located above the steering wheel. The other is an infotainment center screen that is at the center of the dashboard.
– Extras
The Mini SE comes with LED headlights, union jack tail lights, air curtains, climate control, and a navigation pack as standard.
– Mini Cooper SE Price in South Africa
New electric Mini Coopers cost between R 663,344 and R 714,100 from the Mini Cooper official dealership. A used one goes for about R 622,000 on AutoTrader.
BMW i3
BMW i3 is a small hatchback launched in the UK in 2014. It is one of the two most affordable Electric Vehicles that you can buy in the country, costing slightly more than the Mini Cooper SE. However, it is the cheapest of the two to service and maintain. The low cost and maintenance are good reasons to consider it your first or next electric car.
– Engine and Power
BMW i3 uses a hybrid synchronous electric motor. It can output 120 to 170 horsepower and has 250Nm torque. It can go from 0 to 60 km/h in 3.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 150 km/h.
– Electric Range
According to BMW, the car should last between 260 and 359 km on a full charge depending on the battery size. Newer generations have bigger battery sizes (42.2kWh) than the older models (37.9kWh). In addition, it supports a 50kW DC fast charge that should get you 80% battery in 45 minutes.
– Drive
Driving Electric’s review of the BMW i3 says it is a fun car to drive, albeit having skinny tires with big rims that increase sensitivity to potholes.
– Exterior Design
The shape and size of the i3 are typical of small cars like the Toyota Agya. It is still reminiscent of a BMW, though. The car’s front and back are the most obvious reminder that your car is a BMW. Both front and back headlights and the nose grille design resemble almost all other cars from the German car manufacturer. Since it is a small car, the front bonnet is short. This is one of the reasons it is 3.999 meters in length. Instead of a 3 door combination like the Mini Cooper SE, this EV has 5 doors (including the boot door). The front two doors are of average size for small cars. However, the hind ones are small, even when compared to small cars. To improve the functionality of these hind doors, they open going backward.
– Interior Design
It is noticeable straight away how comfortable and posh the interior of the i3 feels. BMW offers you a selection of interior designs they call interior worlds. The standard design that comes with the car is still attractive. It is a four-seater because the back seats can only accommodate two people.
There are two displays. The display directly above the steering wheel is for the dashboard meters and gauges—the other (a 10.2-inch screen) for the car’s infotainment system. None of them are touch screens. The infotainment system is easy to use, and it comes with a knob in the gear selector quadrant that is used to make selections on the screen. It is intuitive and easy to use.
The i3’s boot is small. It is 260 liters in size. The back seats fold to increase boot space for occasions when you might need it despite this small size.
– Extras
The i3 comes with LED headlights, reverse parking sensors, and heated seats.
– BMW i3 Price in South Africa
A new BMW i3 costs about R 754,200 in official BMW dealerships. Used BMW i3s cost anywhere between R 439,000 and R 830,000. You can find them on AutoTrader or Cars.co.za
Jaguar I-Pace
The Jaguar I-Pace, Jaguar’s first-ever electric car, won World Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year, and World Green Car Awards at the 2019 World Car Awards. In total, this EV has 62 Awards.
– Engine and Power
The EV’s engine outputs 394 horsepower and has 696Nm torque. It can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 200 km/h.
– Range
According to Jaguar, the car should last you up to 470 km on a full charge. Its battery is 90kWh in size. It supports 100kW DC fast charge that should get you 80% battery in 40 minutes. A 50kW DC fast charge will increase to 80% in 90 minutes.
– Drive
During her review of the I-Pace for Electrify, Ginny Buckley shares her experience with the EV. “…one of my favorite things about the I-Pace–the way it goes around corners. It just sticks to the road beautifully. This thing just works!”
– Exterior Design
The EV is classified as an SUV because of its size but still manages a sporty look. The top gently slopes down to the back. In addition, it has a fin on the hood and air vents on the sides of the front bumper that add to its sporty appeal.
– Interior Design
The I-Pace has a digital meter and gauge display above the steering wheel and two infotainment screens. One of the infotainment screens is at the dashboard’s center, while the other is in a sloping position just above the gear selector quadrant.
– Extras
It is 4 wheel drive, which means it can handle off-road (untarmacked roads) driving. There is an off-road mode included in the car settings for this.
– Jaguar I-Pace Price in South Africa
A new Jaguar I-Pace Limited Edition from the official Jaguar dealership costs R 1,999,900. Used ones on AutoTrader cost around R 1,599,000.
Porsche Taycan and Porsche Taycan Turbo
The Porsche Taycan and its sporty version, the Porsche Taycan Turbo, are the most premium electric vehicles on this list. While the Porsche Taycan and Jaguar I-Pace are crossovers from sedan and SUV to a sports car, the Turbo is the only sports car.
– Engine and Power
The regular Taycan’s engine can power up to 469 horsepower on overboost power and has 357 Nm maximum torque. In comparison, the Turbo’s engine is up to 670 horsepower on overboost power and has 850 Nm maximum torque. The Taycan can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds and reach a top speed of 230 km/h. On the other hand, the Taycan Turbo can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds and reach a top speed of 260 km/h.
– Range
Regular Taycan has a WLTP (a standardized test for vehicles in the EU) range of 484 km, while the Taycan Turbo has a WLTP range of 383 km to 452 km. The battery for the Taycan has a 93.4kWh capacity, while that of the Turbo has a 93.4kWh capacity. The Taycan and Taycan Turbo both support a maximum charge through DC fast charge that should get you 80% battery in 22.5 minutes.
– Drive
US YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee, in his review of the Taycan Turbo, remarks, “I meant what I said on Twitter…I said, ‘the Porsche Taycan is the best driving electric car out right now.’ And I guess I really shouldn’t be surprised because sports car driving dynamics is what Porsche does. Like that’s what they’re good at. But I’m still impressed.”
– Exterior Design
The Porsche Taycans are low streamlined, sporty-looking cars. The front looks awesome with an outer teardrop design to the headlights. It gives off a Dodge Viper vibe while still managing to look like a Porsche. The body is streamlined with a long front nose with a gentle upward slope and a shorter back that also has a gentle slope.
– Interior Design
The interior of the Taycan Turbo is elegant, sleek, and stylish, reminiscent of a Porsche. There are 3 displays at the front, one above the driver’s steering wheel and the other two at the center of the dashboard. The two infotainment screens in the middle are touch screens which are supported by buttons and knobs to make interaction with the system easy. They both have a maximum sitting capacity of 5 occupants (plus the driver). Although, the 5th seat, which is at the center-back, is not as comfortable as the rest.
– Extras
The lengths of the seats are adjustable. 360° cameras. Touch screens for the 3 or 4 passengers.
– Porsche Taycan (Turbo) Price in South Africa
New Porsche Taycans and Taycan Turbos cost from R 2,495,000 to R 3,295,000 in official Porsche dealerships. Used ones from AutoTrader costs between R 2,495,000 and R 3,295,000.
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Job is a seasoned writer with a good understanding of the emerging markets, Africa to be specific.
