Publications
Partners
Electric models in South Africa are always a hot topic of debate, especially when load shedding is part of our daily lives. But did you know that there are about 29 different models available locally? News24 Motoring editor Janine van der Post shares her top three picks of the bunch...
If you're wondering how this article could be about three of the best electric vehicles driven in 2023, South Africa's new car market has 27 EV models on sale. Make that 29, since Volvo's EX30 is practically almost on local showroom floors.
Of these, BMW has about 13 electric vehicles in its local range, with a 14th model coming soon, the i5 M60 MDrive, with a starting price of R2 190 000. The German brand's most affordable model is no longer the i3 - which has been discontinued - but the iX3 with a starting price of R1 205 000.
Mercedes-Benz has about five EV models in its range, priced from R1 642 000 for the EQE Sedan to R2 646 000 for the EQS SUV. A sixth model, the electric Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV, is also headed for local shores.
Volvo has four electric models listed on its website, with the "most affordable" vehicle being the new EX30 priced at R775 900. Audi also currently has four EV models in their local range.
Other EVs include the Porsche Taycan in various models, Mini Cooper SE, and new entries to the country, GWM's cute little Ora 03 and BYD's Atto. SA even sells a fully electric bakkie known as the Maxus T90.
Yes, there's a lot of controversy around electric vehicles, especially their manufacturing, more so that of lithium-ion batteries, which are not great for the environment, but that's a topic for another day.
READ | This is SA's cheapest EV: GWM launches funky electric ORA 03 - we have pricing and details
I also have to note that motoring journos can't really report on the full ownership of EVs as an owner would. EV owners will have a GridCars charging card linked to their vehicle and the mobile GridCars app on their phones. Also, all EV owners will most likely charge at home and have a wall box charger that comes with most cars - either inclusive of the sales price or at an additional cost.
The GridCars app can tell you the exact battery level, how long it will take to charge, and what time it will be done charging - which is incredibly useful when using public charging stations at shopping malls or anywhere else. This means you can either leave when it's done charging, or go and unplug your car and move it for the next person to be able to charge their vehicle, instead of hogging the parking place and charger.
I have driven a fair share of the above models, except for the BYD model and the electric bakkie. Hence, I picked the top three electric vehicles I experienced during 2023:
1 - Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ Sedan
When the German automaker introduced their electric vehicles in South Africa in 2022, there was a whole bunch of them in the same year. First, it was the EQA and EQC, then the EQB and more recently, two EQS models in November.
After driving most of Merc's new EVs, one has mainly stood out for me, the EQS 450+ Sedan(there's also an SUV model). It is a massive vehicle, but right off the bat, my favourite thing about it is the driving range. But I'll get there in a bit.
Making its debut in 2021, the EQS 450+ was revealed as the first all-electric luxury saloon from Mercedes-EQ. It uses a rear-mounted synchronous electric motor, which produces 245kW and 565Nm. It has a claimed zero to 100km/h figure of 6.2 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 210km/h.
As mentioned, this car's range excites me as it's the only EV in the country with such an extended, achievable driving distance. Its lithium-ion battery is one of the largest ever fitted to an electric vehicle and has an energy content of 107.8 kWh; hence, it is capable of such an extensive driving range.
The automaker claims a range between 631km and 780km, but this naturally depends on where and how you're driving and what the weather is like during the day. While this rule applies in any car, it's more so in an electric vehicle - and what driving mode you've selected, if applicable. I am always obsessed with trying to see how far I can drive in an electric car, so most times, I use the ECO modes, and I'll use the energy-saving function to shut down some equipment features to further the range.
During my test period, I charged the vehicle from 20% to 100%, and it took about two hours using a 60kW DC charger at a local shopping centre, giving me a range of 670km. Mercedes also claims, and I can attest to this, too, that charging the battery to 80% capacity will take about 32 minutes at a fast charging station.
That's almost twice the range of smaller and more affordable EVs in our market. But as expected, this premium vehicle comes at a price, and a hefty one at that.
While it's a large car, it's also quite striking, with an incredible road presence. This is largely thanks to its Black Panel radiator trim with a three-dimensional Mercedes-Benz pattern. It is exceptionally prominent with serious attention to detail.
It is packed with standard tech, driving aid systems and features. It's plush inside and very comfortable and luxurious.
However, I have one huge gripe - a standard feature on most EVs - the active brake assist. It is way too aggressive, almost violent, to the point where it could cause collisions. It's also hugely annoying that you can't turn this function off but only set its warning setting to early, medium or late.
I was driving home from work one day, and a pedestrian was walking on the road's edge. The man waved his arm while on his cellphone, and the vehicle detected this as a potential pedestrian about to cross the road. The car braked itself so hard that the vehicle behind me almost drove right into me. It's a feature that needs drastic tuning on the automaker's side.
With that said, it's still one of the best EVs in our local market; it's just a pity it's so darn expensive.
2 - GWM Ora 03
Great Wall Motors, better known as GWM here in South Africa, will introduce several new models in the next couple of years. One of their most recent additions is the cute little Ora 03 - known as the Funky Cat back home in China. Initially, I thought GWM would bring this vehicle into the market at a much more affordable price, perhaps sub-R500k. However, our economy and the rand are so volatile, and EVs are not yet incentivised, so these factors all come into play.
Hopefully, SA's recent electric vehicle white paper will eventually begin bringing some change about when fully implemented. With that said, the Ora 03 is still the "cheapest" electric vehicle in SA, priced from R686 950. There are four models in the local line-up, and pricing goes up to R835 950, while the driving ranges also go from 310km up to 420km, model-specific.
I drove the "entry-level" 300 Super Luxury model, and after charging it fully to 100%, I got a 300km driving range. This is perfect for city driving or short little trips around home, and when using the vehicle for only this purpose, it was a full two weeks before I needed to charge again. At an 11kW charging station, which is the usual one you'll find at smaller shopping centres or public places, it will take 5.5 hours to charge your Ora and about an hour or just under to charge up to 80% at a 60kW fast-charging station.
The Ora 03 is also the only EV I have ever driven where the range doesn't drop once you turn the aircon on - even at full blast in the middle of summer.
We also know electric vehicles have instantaneous power on tap, and even though this cutesie only generates 126kW and 250Nm, it's a nippy little thing - except in ECO mode, where your top speed is limited to 86km/h. Select Sport mode, though, and it's hilarious; I laughed every time at the significant instant power boost and increase in speed when driving on the highway and needing to overtake another car.
You can also change your steering mode between Light, Comfort and Sport. And it's packed with driving assistance programmes and features like a 360-degree panoramic camera, lane change assist, intelligent turning control and a long list of others which is way too many to mention. It's available in five body colours and two interior trim options.
It also has an Auto Emergency Braking – Pedestrian and Cyclist Detection (AEB, AEB-P/B) system, but luckily not as aggressive as that found in the electric Mercs; however, settings can also be changed on this model.
It's an adorable little car that got so much attention because it's a brand-new vehicle in the local market. Many people liked its looks and wanted to know what it was.
With a price tag of just under R700 000, it's out of reach for most people, but it's a reasonable price for an EV. Consider a Renault Captur is about R500 000 and Toyota's Corolla range's pricing starts from R549 300, then the Ora 03's price is pretty decent.
Like Volvo's electric cars, the Ora, too, does not have a start button; you get in and drive. Although, you're forced to buckle up first in the Ora as it won't engage Drive or Reverse unless you're strapped, another pretty cool feature.
3 - Volvo XC40 Recharge
This has to be my favourite after driving the Volvo XC40 Recharge last year during an extended test period. Of all the EVs I drove, this model has been the easiest to adapt to as an electric car from conventional ones, making the transition almost seamless.
On the contrary, it took me a good couple of weeks to get used to the fact that it had no start button, so I would always frantically look all over to find the ignition or start button before I remembered there was none. Now, when I drive an EV, I have to remind myself to switch the car off when I exit. The cars are very quiet, so there's no running engine to remind you the vehicle is still on. But you get used to it pretty fast.
My only concern with EVs is that passengers can never hear them approach, so you always need to be extra vigilant and slow down completely, especially in car parks or when driving in residential areas.
But back to the XC40. This model is priced at R 1 260 000. It has two electric motors and a high-voltage battery, which generates a delicious 300kW of power and 600Nm. It is mated to a one-speed electric gearbox and zips from zero to 100km/h in a dashing 4.9 seconds. Like all EVs, overtaking is a breeze.
READ: Driving with J9 | Volvo's EVs prove living with electric cars in SA is easy, even with load shedding
The Volvo is a mid-sized vehicle, so not as large and heavy as the Merc and not as small as the Ora. It's a great size with a large boot and comfortable legroom for all passengers and the driver.
Volvo reckons range on the XC40 Reharge is 418km, but I've managed to record 480km on a full charge. A quick charge at my regular 60kW public charging station takes about 30 minutes to charge up to 80%. Usually, my family and I will grab a quick bite to eat and a bit of grocery shopping, so we're always there a bit longer than planned and get to charge the car fully.
While you still pay for charging your vehicle - whether at home or a charging station, it's still considerably cheaper than filling a car's tank with fuel. Swiping a charge card could cost you anywhere between R200 and R350. When at home, this could be significantly less (or more), depending on if owners are off the grid or where they live, based on how much they pay per unit of electricity.
I love how the infotainment system is integrated with Google functionality. So, with a touch of a button, I can quickly see where the nearest charging stations are or just say, "Hey, Google, direct me to the closest charging station." Or, if I didn't check the weather that day on my way to work, I can ask, "Hey Google, what's the weather like in Cape Town today?"
Another feature I love is when you punch in a destination on the car's navigation system (Google Maps), it not only tells you what your range will be when you reach your venue but also what your battery percentage will be to get back home. This has become incredibly helpful and has significantly helped get rid of any remaining range anxiety fears that may still have been lurking.
In fact, driving the XC40 has made me much more confident with range anxiety when driving other EVs, as it's given me a better understanding of how much range is used over longer distances and how you can see how your driving style impacts range.
For example, if I drive the car in Eco mode using the range optimiser, I know a trip from Somerset West to Town on a 120km round trip can use only about a 30- 40km range if I drive efficiently.
While the Volvo is expensive, it's the most straightforward transition between an ICE vehicle and an EV.
Disclaimer: News24 encourages freedom of speech and the expression of diverse views. The views of columnists published on News24 are therefore their own and do not necessarily represent the views of News24.
