Motoring13.02.2025

Good news for people who want to buy affordable electric cars in South Africa

The prices of used electric vehicles (EVs) have plunged in South Africa in the past year, analysis by MyBroadband shows.

A recently-published study by ISeeCars.com found that EVs had worse resale values than petrol or hybrid cars, losing roughly 49% of their value in five years compared to an average of 38% across all propulsion types.

However, the depreciation has improved substantially compared to 2019, when iSeeCars found that the five-year depreciation of EVs was around 67%.

One of the primary concerns consumers have about EVs is how their large and expensive batteries will hold up in the long run.

To address concerns over this issue, major manufacturers typically offer generous warranties guaranteeing a free replacement or repair if the battery drops below 80% of its original capacity within eight years or 200,000km.

However, consumers are often sceptical of manufacturer claims. Considering that mass-produced EVs have only been rolled out in the last 15 years, few people have had first-hand experience of long-term EV performance.

In recent years, there have been several noteworthy reports supporting manufacturer claims that batteries are likely to continue providing useable range even after

For example, a Tesla Model S used in a high-end taxi in the UK has clocked over 430,000 miles (692,000km) on its original battery while retaining over 70% of its starting capacity.

Closer to home, one 2016 BMW i3 owner reported that his vehicle had clocked over 300,000km by 2022 and still had 85% of its original capacity remaining.

A proposal that could encourage more people to buy used EVs is requiring manufacturers to display the car’s battery health within the infotainment system or instrument cluster, similar to what smartphones do.

Fortunately, onboard diagnostics can be plugged into an EV to measure its remaining capacity. A reputable car dealer is unlikely to disallow this.

Those who are comfortable with buying a used electric vehicle could score a bargain compared to what they would have paid a year ago.

When MyBroadband looked at the prices of used EVs on Autotrader South Africa and Cars.co.za in March 2024, we found just six models selling for under R1 million. In February 2025, that selection had grown to 12.

The prices of the models that featured in our previous analysis have also dropped substantially.

For example, the most affordable BMW i3 eDrive was priced at R279,900 in February 2025, compared to R329,950 in March 2024.

The next most affordable model — the Mini Cooper SE hatchback — was priced from R405,000 compared to R440,000 in 2024.

We also found a used GWM Ora 03 with 17,500km on the clock priced at R449,800. Last year, demo models of this car were selling for R686,950.

The last option under R500,000 was the BYD Dolphin, starting from R469,890 for a 2024 model.

This EV had not launched at the time of our analysis in March 2024. Given it has only 5,000 km on the odometer, the nearly R70,000 drop from its sticker price is substantial.

More options under R1 million

Two BYD Atto 3 Standard cars were also available from R699,890, one with just 50km and another with 100km on the clock. Both had 2025 registration years.

This model is priced at R768,000 when bought brand new.

The last two EVs that featured in our analysis last year — the Jaguar i-Pace and Volvo XC40 P6 Recharge — have also seen their prices plummet.

A 2019 i-Pace was selling for R699,900 with 27,054km on the clock. Last year, the cheapest used i-Pace with the same model year cost R879,000.

The most affordable XC40 P6 Recharge was priced at R699,950, compared to R849,900 in March 2024.

We also found used prices for the BMW i4, BMW iX3, Mercedes-Benz EQA, and Mercedes-Benz EQB models had dropped below R1 million.

Additionally, several used Volvo EX30 models starting from around R750,000 are roughly R40,000 cheaper than when bought new.

Below are the seven most affordable used EVs in South Africa, with their latest starting prices compared to last year’s prices. The pictures shown are from the actual listings of the most affordable models.