In the latest episode of Watts & Wheels with Wills, host William Kelly is joined in the studio by Greg Cress, automotive and e-mobility industry lead at Accenture South Africa, and Gary Scott of Scottify — two of the longest-serving voices in South Africa’s electric vehicle scene, and co-authors of a new guide to buying and owning an EV.
The guide was born of the basic questions that keep surfacing: what is a kilowatt-hour? Where will I charge, and will the plug fit? After a lifetime of mindless refuelling at petrol stations, charging is suddenly something owners must think about. The pair’s advice is to demystify the maths.
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The cost and battery fears, they argue, are largely misplaced. Public fast-charging still works out at about 60% of the running cost of petrol, home charging closer to 25% — and less still on solar. Early Teslas are passing 560 000km with battery health of 85-88%, no manufacturer offers a battery warranty shorter than eight years, and chemistry is advancing fast, from cheaper lithium-iron-phosphate cells to sodium-ion batteries now arriving.
South Africa, the pair believe, is approaching its tipping point. The global oil shock has pushed EVs into the mainstream conversation — and cleared dealer stock in the process. The official numbers understate the shift: industry association Naamsa counted just 1 088 battery-electric sales in 2025, but that excludes BYD and other Chinese brands that don’t report locally — and sales nearly doubled year on year in the first quarter of 2026.
Counting the unreported brands, about 500 EVs are now being sold every month, the guests estimate, and Cress predicts about 6 000 for the year. True inflection — 5% of new vehicle sales — needs 2 000 sales month, with the under-R400 000 segment, where the pair say two-thirds of South African vehicle buying happens, the battleground to watch.
Their advice for prospective buyers: know why you’re in the market before falling for the shiny technology — and above all, drive one. As Kelly puts it: if you haven’t driven an EV, don’t tell him they’re rubbish.
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