Industry sources say the company has yet to report a single sale two years after Chinese electric vehicle (EV) maker BYD entered the South African market.
CleanTechnica reported on Thursday that BYD was notably absent from South Africa’s EV market last year. Instead, BMW and Volvo dominated the sector, selling 669 and 326 vehicles, respectively.
The publication questioned BYD’s lack of sales reporting in South Africa, suggesting it may reflect weak market performance. In response, BYD has ramped its efforts by introducing new models, including the Shark 06 pickup truck and the Sealion 6 and 7 plug-in hybrid EVs.
BYD has succeeded in other markets, such as Singapore, Malaysia, and Australia. The company topped Singapore’s overall auto market in 2024 and led Malaysia’s EV sector with 1,139 vehicles sold in January and February 2025. BYD’s Shark 06 pickup in Australia gained popularity, selling 2,810 units in March alone.
However, the South African market tells a different story. Despite total EV sales reaching 1,257 units in 2024, BYD failed to make the sales list.
Despite its challenges in South Africa, BYD continues its global expansion. The company recently entered the Sri Lankan market and deployed dedicated ships for EV exports, with a sixth vessel set to begin operations soon. BYD has remained the world’s largest EV seller for two consecutive quarters—Q4 2024 and Q1 2025.
