The BYD Sealion 7 Performance AWD costs R1 306 900, does 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds, and makes a compelling case that the benchmark in South Africa’s premium EV segment has shifted. Justus Visagie drives the top-spec variant and finds a car with little to apologise for.
A family SUV that runs on electricity for most of the week, outperforms an Audi Q7, and costs a million rand. The Omoda C9 PHEV makes a case that is difficult to argue with.
The BYD Dolphin Surf Dynamic earns its place as South Africa’s most affordable serious electric car. At R393 900 it offers a five-star Euro NCAP rating, Vehicle-to-Load capability for load-shedding relief, and fuel savings of around R21 000 per 20 000 km over a comparable petrol car. Small boot, divisive steering, big value.
The MINI Aceman SE is a five-door premium electric crossover that drives with the sharp, tactile urgency of a hot hatch. At R897 000 in Classic trim, it brings the Cooper SE’s 160 kW motor and 54.2 kWh battery to a more practical body with genuine rear seats, a 380 km claimed range and an interior that remains one of the most distinctive in the segment. The compromises are real but specific. The rewards are immediate.
At R689 900, Jaecoo’s plug-in hybrid SUV costs less than the BYD Atto 3 and about the same as the new Geely E5. But spec-sheet range figures and real-world range figures are not the same thing — and once you account for that gap, the PHEV case looks rather more coherent than it might first appear.
Supercar acceleration for family sedan money. The BYD Seal Performance AWD matches European performance at Chinese prices, but does it deliver the complete package? We find out what you’re actually getting for R1.2 million.
With a chiselled body, a cabin good enough to eat, and a promise of go-kart handling, the Cooper SE positions itself as a premium sports hatch. But can it deliver the quintessential MINI experience we’ve come to expect?
The Mercedes G-Class has gone electric, and the results are extraordinary. Four motors, 1 164 Nm of torque, and the ability to perform tank turns. This is more than evolution – it’s gene therapy.
The Volvo XC40 P8 Recharge Twin remains one of South Africa’s top-selling electric vehicles, but it must defend itself in an increasingly competitive EV landscape.
It’s simply called the Porsche Taycan and it occupies the bottom rung on the fully electric model range’s price and performance list.