- Electric future
- GWM Ora – R716,900
- Mini Cooper SE – R742,102
- Volvo XC40 P6 Recharge Plus – R1,075,000
Most of the world is rapidly transitioning to an all-electric future, though the same cannot be said for South Africa.
There are only 40 electric vehicles (EVs) available on the domestic market, most of which are priced well over R1 million, meaning battery-powered cars are still well out of reach for most citizens.
In fact, there are only two EVs in South Africa that cost less than R1 million – the Mini Cooper SE, and the recently unveiled GWM Ora – both of which still fetch over R700,000 so they can’t exactly be called affordable.
The next cheapest EV is the Volvo XC40, which sees a jump of more than R300,000 to reach its starting price of R1,075,000.
Electric future
These are the three cheapest electric cars that you can currently buy in South Africa.
GWM Ora – R716,900
The GWM Ora now lays claim to the title of South Africa’s most affordable electric car, though its R700,000-plus price tag still makes that fact difficult to swallow.
It features a 48kWh lithium-ion battery and a front-mounted electric motor – the combination of which produces 126kW and 250Nm. It also boasts a range of 400km and a 10-80% charge can be achieved in as little as 41 minutes when using an 80kw DC socket.
While GWM has yet to confirm the Ora’s local spec sheet, overseas it is sold with leatherette upholstery, electronically-adjustable seats, automatic air conditioning, keyless entry and start, LED lights, wireless charging, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen, all-round parking sensors, and 360-degree cameras.
Additionally, the hatchback comes with safety equipment like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, lane-keep assist, autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking, and traffic sign recognition.
Mini Cooper SE – R742,102
The Mini Cooper SE was the country’s previous entry-level EV before the Ora came onto the scene.
Its battery capacity is lower than the Ora’s at 32.6kWh, but its front-wheel motor pulls off a greater power capacity of 135kW and 270Nm.
The real cost of the smaller power module is its range, as the Mini can only manage 215km between trips to an outlet. An 80% charge is then estimated to take anywhere from 35 minutes with a 50kW DC plug to 2.5 hours with a more conventional 11kW AC plug.
Features on the Cooper include a Nappa leather multifunction steering wheel, cloth/artificial leather upholstery, ambient lighting, a Harman Kardon sound system, cruise control, keyless entry and start, climate control, a 5-inch digital driver display, an 8.8-inch infotainment screen, adaptive LED headlights, daytime running lights, and 17-inch alloy wheels.
Volvo XC40 P6 Recharge Plus – R1,075,000
The Volvo XC40 P6 is the cheapest electric crossover in South Africa and is a competitor to the likes of the BMW iX1 and Mercedes-Benz EQA.
As its price tag and body style would suggest, the Volvo’s battery is substantially bigger than the two hatchbacks at 69kWh, though its higher weight means it only has a slight range advantage over the Ora at 423km.
Its output, meanwhile, works out to 170kW and 330Nm, which is distributed to just the front wheels through a single motor.
Additionally, the Volvo is expected to spend 37 minutes sitting by the wall when using a 150kW DC charger, or up to 8 hours when using a 11kW AC cable.
Of course, the XC40 also features several luxury fittings such as 20-inch alloy rims, LED headlights and daytime running lights, leather seats, wireless charging, a 12-inch digital driver display, a 9-inch media unit, all-round parking sensors, a reverse camera, keyless entry and start, climate control, and adaptive cruise control.
Keyword: Cheapest electric cars in South Africa