Chery Q, BYD Dolphin Surf and Geely E2 battle it out as Mzansi's most affordable EV.
The Chery Q has hit the ground running. Picture: Jaco van der Merwe
It has taken the local car buying public a long time to warm up to all-electric vehicles (EVs) for a number of reasons.
High prices due to additional taxation, range anxiety and fears associated with charging during load-shedding have all contributed to the slow uptake in local EV sales.
But the current combination of soaring fuel prices and more affordable all-electric cars have resulted in the kind of EV sales that would have been unimaginably just a year ago. The switch from traditional internal combustion engine powered cars to more affordable new energy forms of transport has been swift as motorists try and avoid more pain at the pumps.
Chery Q enters fray
Leading the charge (pun intended) is the Chery Q. Last month, the hatchback set a new record for monthly new EV sales which amounted to 438 units. To put this into perspective, that is 52 cars more than Honda and Mazda sold locally in total in October.
The BYD Dolphin Surf previously held the monthly record for EV sales when 302 found new homes in April. Albeit trailing the Chery Q in October, the BYD nonetheless has another strong month with sales of 248.
The Chery Q recently entered a fascinating battle against the BYD Dolphin Surf and the Geely E2 in the quest to be Mzansi’s most affordable EV. A mere R10 000 separate the starting point to these three model ranges.
E2 undercuts Dolphin Surf
Priced between R341 900 and R395 900, the BYD Dolphin Surf was the cheapest local EV before surrendering its crown to the Geely E2 in April. The latter features a sticker ranging from R339 900 to R389 900.
After much talk that the Chery Q might undercut the Geely E2 in terms of price, the former eventually entered the battle at a starting price of R349 900, which goes up to R389 900. The Chery does however feature a bigger battery and a better range than its Chinese contemporaries.
The Geely E2’s official sales numbers are not yet included in the monthly Naamsa figures.
