[imagesource: Mini]
One of the biggest factors stunting the growth of the electric vehicle market in South Africa is price.
Although possibly a cheaper option in the future, getting your hands on an EV at the moment will set you back.
The cheapest EV you can buy in South Africa (the Mini Cooper SE, as seen above) starts at an almost deal-breaking price of R658 000, for example.
Many of them run into the millions from there, which is just unaffordable for most Saffas.
MyBroadband notes, per GreenCape’s 2022 Electric Vehicles Market Intelligence report, R200 000 and R500 000 was the price point that around 74% of those who responded to its EV price survey were comfortable paying.
Folks in the emerging middle-class and middle-income groups wanting to live on the cutting-edge of vehicle technology will have to bargain with their budgets to be able to afford the EVs available in SA.
Unless some savvy investor is keen to introduce EVs at a lower-price point to increase uptake in the country?
Regardless, the EV market share in SA is on the up, with 2021 sales rising to 218 from 92 in 2020.
In fact, the Mini Cooper SE was crowned the best-selling EV in South Africa last year, per EV-volumes.com, making up 31% of total EV sales in the country:
Engine power/torque: 135kW/270Nm
0-100km/h: 7,3 seconds
Range: 215 kilometres
Price: R658 000
The next best-selling electric vehicle available on our shores, along with its specifications, is the BMW iX xDrive40:
Engine power/torque: 240kW/630Nm
0-100km/h: 6,1 seconds
Range: 390km
Price: R1 700 000
The Porsche Taycan is the third EV in the mix:
Engine power/torque: 240kW/345Nm
0-100km/h: 5,1 seconds
Range: 360km
Price: R2 303 000
Then, we level up to the Porsche Taycan Turbo S:
Engine power/torque: 460kW/1,050Nm
0-100km/h: 2,8 seconds
Range: 360km
Price: R4 134 000
Other names on the list include the BMW i3, the Jaguar i-Pace, and the Audi e-tron, which will set you back a cool R1,745 million.
You can head here to check out the full specifications for each of those models.
[source:mybroadband]
