BYD Seems To Be Ramping Up Activity In South Africa

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BYD now sells the most battery-electric vehicles in the world, and has been on a roll opening up new markets around the world. For about 5 years, BYD’s vehicle sales (including battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid EVs) have been growing at an enormous rate, which is great as BYD, Tesla, Geely, VW, SAIC, and many other firms contribute immensely to growing EV market shares in several countries. Only as recently as last month did BYD record a slow-down in vehicle sales, due to several reasons, including growing competition in its home market, China. Hopefully it will be just a phase and sales will pick up again as EVs in general continue to find favor with buyers across multiple markets.

BYD has been accelerating exports of its BEVs and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs), recording significant growth in countries such as Australia, Brazil, Mexico, and most recently the United Kingdom. One market we had high hopes for is South Africa. South Africa is the largest market for brand new vehicles in Africa, with over half a million brand new ICE vehicles sold each year. About 1,000 brand new BEVs are now sold each year in South Africa. That’s a small market share, due to historical reasons such as high import duties and taxes levied on BEVs as well as a small selection of affordable BEVs. That’s where BYD comes in. BYD has a cool selection of more affordable EVs in several markets such as the BYD Dolphin and the Seagull. South Africans love pickup trucks and the BYD Shark PHEV is one that should, on paper, be a hit in South Africa.

The bad news is that BYD South Africa does not publish its sales figures despite the company launching several models on the market over the past three years. Therefore, it is impossible to gauge how well the company is doing in South Africa. The good news is that BYD has now launched a selection of vehicles in South Africa that could really help catalyze adoption. These include the Seagull, known in South Africa as the Dolphin Surf, and the BYD Shark 06 PHEV pickup. Despite the absence of official sales figures, we are now starting to see more BYDs on the roads in South Africa, showing that sales seem to be picking up, though anecdotally. It’s fairly common now to spot some BYD Sharks and every now and then a Seal, Dolphin, or a Sealion 07.

The Dolphin Surf has landed in South Africa at a very attractive starting point. With a launch price under R400,000, the Dolphin Surf represents a game-changing step toward making eco-conscious driving accessible to more South Africans than ever before. A South African fleet as a service provider, Everlectric, recently bought a fleet of 10 BYD Dolphin Surfs and had the pleasant surprise of being handed over keys to their new vehicles by BYD Founder and Chairman Wang Chuanfu himself, who happened to be in South Africa on that day. It’s pretty cool to see the Chairman in South Africa and meeting some customers.  

BYD seems to be ramping up its activities in South Africa. Let’s see what else BYD has been up to and what it has in its plans for South Africa in the near future. Last month, BYD announced a new collaboration with South Africa’s Eskom, the country’s national electricity utility company. Eskom and BYD will explore:

• Supporting South Africa’s national drive to decarbonize transport and position the country as a hub for EV adoption.
• The potential expansion of public charging infrastructure in key locations nationwide.
• Opportunities for local skills development, SMME participation, and job creation in the growing EV ecosystem.

Eskom adds that future discussions may also consider renewable-powered ultra-fast charging hubs, recycling and repurposing used EV batteries for energy storage and backup systems, and integrating EVs into Eskom’s demand-side management strategies to help balance electricity supply and demand. Eskom says that building on its own successful introduction of 20 electric vehicles and 10 charging stations for internal use, it is now extending this capability to the public.

“Having successfully rolled out EVs within our fleet on 9 September 2025, we are ready to enable wider adoption by bringing practical and accessible charging infrastructure to South Africans,” said acting Group Executive for Distribution, Agnes Mlambo.

Eskom adds that the Dolphin Surf symbolizes both affordability and accessibility, making cleaner mobility a realistic choice for South Africans. With electricity more affordable than petrol or diesel, electric vehicles not only reduce harmful emissions but also deliver significant lifetime savings for owners. Eskom stands ready to support the adoption of electric vehicles.

BYD recently opened a new flagship store in the posh Sandton Area of Gauteng. Along with increasing the size of its dealer network, BYD recently announced that it will set up up to 300 ultra fast charging stations in South Africa, including its megawatt charging stations. The rollout will start in 2026. So it looks like BYD is starting to ramp up its activities in South Africa, which is a good thing and will certainly help to catalyze adoption. This market needs this.

The South African BEV market urgently needs a boost and perhaps the introduction of the BYD Dolphin Surf could just be what’s needed. Sales of BEVs look to be stagnating and we are not seeing the same explosive growth we are seeing in South Africa’s PHEV market. In the first six months of 2025, just 570 BEVs were sold in South Africa. That’s about half of the total number of BEVs sold in South Africa in the whole of 2024. 515,712 vehicles were sold in South Africa in 2024 and only 1,257 BEVs were sold in 2024. That’s still very low! With only 3,212 BEVs sold since 2018, it’s clear to see that sales of BEVs have been slow in South Africa. With BYD introducing its “flash chargers” next year, BYD is certainly looking to raise the game in South Africa’s EV sector. Let’s wait and see what else BYD has planned for South Africa.

Image: BYD Founder and Chairman, Wang Chuanfu, hands over the keys to some new BYD Dolphin Surfs to the Everlectric Team. (Courtesy of Everlectric)