Plug-in electric vehicles (both hybrids and full EVs) have gradually become more popular in South Africa. The country has a thriving automotive industry, and consumers have increasingly become more drawn to some form of electric vehicle. This has been accelerated in recent years by the rollout of public charging infrastructure, including fast chargers, across the country.
South Africa has a small, but growing EV charging station network. There is no direct government infrastructure spending on EV charging, and SA therefore has a patchwork of private charging sites. Investment in infrastructure is increasing.
As of October 2025, there are estimated to be at least 400 public EV charging stations across South Africa (although this figure is unverified, and does not distinguish charging stations from connectors/points), roughly 60% of which are operated by local company GridCars.
Numerous proof of concept high-capacity DC chargers are installed at various sites across SA, including the three 240 kW chargers at Zero Carbon Charge's N12 North West facility, Rubicon's 200 kW station at the Mall of Africa in Midrand, and their 150 kW one at Canal Walk and Somerset Mall in Cape Town.
The cost of installing a charging station is estimated to be between R500,0000 and R2 million. To reach profitability, SA will need around 100,000 EVs on the road.
As of 2025, there are around 3,500 new EVs sold per year in South Africa. Sales are expected to grow steadily, as new models are introduced into the market. At the same time, the industry was estimated to already be worth R2.8 billion.
The country's public DC charging network comprises, among other initiatives, the following:
At-home alternating current (AC) charging can be done using two methods; standard plug sockets or dedicated, wall-mounted chargers (for faster charging speeds).
SA operates a 230V electricity network, and regular outlets are limited to 16A, as per SANS-164 and newer SANS 164-2 standards.
For a regular power outlet, charging is therefore limited to 3.7 kW (with the exact number depending on the amperage of the socket).
Dedicated at-home EV chargers are available locally with speeds ranging from 7.4 kW to 22 kW. These require the installation of a dedicated a connection supporting over 16A of current (i.e., an "industrial outlet").
As of 2026, vehicle manufacturers offering plug-in hybrids and/or full EVs in South Africa include:
As of 2022, the national government in South Africa does not offer any tax incentives for electric vehicles, and charges a 25% tariff on electric vehicle imports (compared with 18% for gasoline-powered cars).
As of May 2022, electric car usage in South Africa emits more greenhouse gas on average than gasoline-powered car usage due to the prevalence of coal in electricity generation.
In March 2026, a SANRAL policy opened for public comment formalized public EV charging and battery swapping facilities, placing them in the same category as gas stations. Also, the South African Government stated that its whitepaper position is that all new and upgraded forecourts should include EV chargers.
The market for hybrids, plug-in hybrids (PHEVs), and full EVs in South Africa is small, but growing, as is the country's charging infrastructure. August 2025 sales figures for the top-selling plug-in hybrids and full EVs in SA are below.