Sales of electric vehicles in South Africa are now starting to gain some significant traction as more models become available on the market. One of the brands now bringing its models to South Africa in decent number in response to demand from the market is Volvo Cars. The move has paid off for Volvo Cars as sales of the EVs it offers in the South African market have been growing nicely.
In the first half of this year, Volvo Cars South Africa led the sales charge in the local market’s fully electric premium C-SUV segment, far outselling every other brand in this space. According to figures released by industry representative body naamsa, local sales of electric vehicles in the opening half of 2023 grew 145% year-on-year to 502 units. For the record, that figure matches the market’s total EV sales effort for the entirety of 2022.
The Swedish luxury firm was at the very forefront of this year-on-year growth in H1 2023, with the XC40 Recharge and the freshly launched C40 Recharge leading the way in the premium C-SUV EV segment, racking up 99 registrations between them. The XC40 Recharge, which is available in both Single Motor Plus and Twin Motor Ultimate guise, accounted for 89 of those sales.
Volvo adds that its segment total is more than triple that of its closest premium C-SUV EV competitor brand, which managed 31 registrations — likewise spread across two nameplates — in the half-year reporting period. In terms of individual model sales, the next closest contender in the category ended H1 2023 with 22 sales.
“The South African public’s response to our fully electric models has been overwhelming. In fact, thanks to the XC40 Recharge and C40 Recharge dominating the premium C-SUV EV segment, Volvo sold the second-highest number of electric cars of any brand across the industry over the first six months of the year, despite the fact two of our main competitors each offer as many as six fully electric nameplates,” said Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa.
The Gothenburg-based automaker looks poised to grow its EV market share even further in the coming months, with pre-orders for the fully electric EX30 having opened in June 2023. This brand-new electric SUV represents the cornerstone of Volvo’s global electrification growth ambitions and will touch down in 2024 as one of the most affordable full-size contenders in South Africa’s burgeoning EV market. Early demand for its new fully electric EX30 has been incredibly strong, with the local market ranking in the top ten for pre-orders in the broader Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region.
The EX30 constitutes the next significant step towards Volvo’s goal of half its global sales volume comprising fully electric cars by 2025, with the remainder taking the form of hybrids. By 2030, the Swedish luxury firm plans for every new vehicle it sells to be completely electric, demonstrating its steadfast commitment to a zero-emission future.
I am really looking forward to seeing the EX30 when it lands early next year. It promises to be a vehicle that will help transform the market in its segment, helping catalyze the adoption of electric vehicles in South Africa.
Image courtesy of Volvo Cars South Africa
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