The new Volvo EX30 is rapidly becoming a favourite among local buyers. In the first four months of 2024, the EX30 accounted for nearly a third of the total electric vehicle (EV) sales in the country, earning the title of South Africa’s best-selling electric car.
During this period, the Swedish automaker achieved an impressive 46% share of the overall EV market in South Africa. This success is attributed to the remarkable performance of the EX30, priced from R775 900, making it one of the most accessible fully electric cars in the country. The brand’s other electric models, the C40 Recharge and XC40 Recharge, also contributed significantly to this achievement.
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The EX30 alone made up 30.8% of the nation’s total EV sales, and 67.3% of Volvo’s own electric car registrations, establishing itself as the most popular EV by a substantial margin. According to Naamsa (SA’s Automotive Business Council), the XC40 Recharge, South Africa’s best-selling EV in 2023, followed in second place with 12.8% of registrations.
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Greg Maruszewski, Managing Director at Volvo Car South Africa, highlighted the pivotal role of the EX30 in driving the local EV market’s growth. He said:
“If we were to remove the EX30 from the equation, sales of fully electric vehicles in South Africa would be decidedly flat. In fact, consider this: the EX30 accounted for virtually one in every three electric cars sold in South Africa during the first four months of 2024, while almost one in every two EVs registered during this time wore a Volvo badge.”
The automaker’s success extends to the plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) market, with the XC60 Recharge and XC90 Recharge PHEVs comprising 21.4% of all sales in this category in the first four months of the year. These models were also the top sellers in the PHEV segment in 2023.
Every vehicle in Volvo Car SA’s lineup features some form of electrification, ranging from mild-hybrids to PHEVs and EVs. This aligns with Volvo’s ambitious goal to have fully electric cars make up half of its global sales by 2025, with the remainder being hybrids. By 2030, the automaker aims for every new vehicle it sells to be completely electric, underscoring its commitment to a zero-emission future.
