The electric vehicle landscape in South Africa is ready for rapid expansion in 2022, with the arrival of at least 14 EVs. While there is no shortage of charging stations in South Africa – the current average is about five to six vehicles per station vs. the average 25 cars per station globally – the price points are still a sore point.
The excessive pricing in SA is due to the higher import duties that EVs are subject to – 25% before any other additional taxes, vs. the 18% on internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The last update on the matter is that government is considering removing the high duties, which should make EVs a more attractive option given the current cost of fuel.
Here’s what we can look out for on the roads in 2022:
6X Audi e-tron
Audi will be bringing in no less than six EVs early in 2022 under its new e-tron branding. These include the e-tron 55 and Sportback (300kW); the e-tron S Sportback and S Line (370kW); and the e-tron GT (350kW) and RS GT (440kW). The battery size on each EV is around 93 to 95kWh and the range differs between Audi’s claims of 369km up to 472km, but real-world may be different. Pricing starts at R1.99m for the e-tron 55 and goes up to R3.3m for the RS e-tron GT.
4X Mercedes-Benz EQ
Under its electric EQ branding, Mercedes-Benz says it stands for “emotion and intelligence” and is all about customer-oriented electric mobility. The company plans to bring its flagship EQS to South Africa, alongside the EQA, EQB and EQE. It is also currently showcasing the EQC at select dealerships for anyone who wants to get a closer look at its luxury offerings. It has also hinted that pricing will be closer to its ICE derivative vehicles. More info will be shared closer to its local launch.
X3 BMW i models
The BMW i range needs no introduction as the i3 has been on sale for years now in SA. However, the company recently put its futuristic iX on sale, starting around R1.6m for the xDrive40 model. It is packed with the latest tech, including Digital Key Plus, which allows iPhones to be used as a car key. New models arriving in 2022 are the iX3 and i4.
VW ID.4
VW has been testing its e-Golf for a while now locally but confirmed its first EV to go on sale is the ID.4 SUV in 2022. Its entry-level variants include a 52kW battery with an output of either 109kW or 125kW of power, model dependent. More information and local specs will be announced closer to launch.
Volvo XC40
Volvo’s first EV went on sale in SA in 2021 at a price of R1.2m, however customers have yet to take delivery of it due to delays. The XC40 Recharge is the first car to natively run on the Google operating system with Maps and Assistant built into the infotainment system.
Connected Cars And The Road To The Future
Have you subscribed to our podcast, Tech Talk with Vodacom on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Anchor? In this episode, we speak with Dr Joost Kessels, Division Head Product Engineering – Volkswagen South Africa, about the future of Connected Cars.
Listen to the podcast episode here.
