New energy vehicle (NEV) sales have gained momentum with the growth of South Africa’s electric vehicle market. Over the past six years, NEV sales have grown from just a few hundred (407) vehicles in 2019 to more than 16,000 in 2025. NEVs include electric vehicles as well as traditional and plug-in hybrids. In total 46,430 were sold between 2019 and 2025.

While traditional hybrids continue to dominate the market, accounting for the vast majority (77%) of the NEV sales (12,818 in 2025), sales of plug-in hybrids more than tripled between 2024 and 2025 – increasing from 738 to 2,810.

This is understandable, because plug-in hybrids are like starter cars for people interested in going electric but still wanting the familiarity of petrol (just in case loadshedding returns or you can’t find a charging station).

The Q1 stats for 2026 show even stronger growth in plug-in hybrid sales, with Q1 sales five times higher than Q1 2025. Sales of electric vehicles nearly doubled.