There has been an increase in South Africans switching to hybrid vehicles, but few choose all-electric or plug-in hybrids.

Traditional hybrid vehicles, like the Toyota Prius, combine an internal combustion engine with a battery that charges while driving. In 2021, just over 600 traditional hybrid vehicles were sold in South Africa. By 2023, this number had increased tenfold to 6,484 vehicles sold.

In comparison, only 1,147 fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles were sold in 2023, up from 384 in 2021.

According to AutoTrader, the most popular hybrid cars available in South Africa are the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid, the Suzuki Grand Vitara Hybrid, and the Honda Fit HEV.

The local market is far from developed by global standards. Fewer than 1% of vehicle sales in South Africa in 2023 were fully electric or plug-in hybrids (excluding traditional hybrids), while the global average was 18%.