Survey confirms more South Africans are ‘accepting’ hybrids

Interest in hybrid cars has reached an all-time high as more and more consumers flock to dual-motor offerings in response to the promise of better fuel consumption as prices at the pumps climb.

Increase speaks volumes

Despite South African’s still unfamiliarity with hybrids, namely the belief that they need charging like an electric vehicle, sales in 2021 increased by 1 885% during the first eight months of the year and by 44% year-on-year in 2022.

This is according to AutoTrader’s 2022 Hybrid Car Buyer Survey, that discovered enquires regarding hybrids rose 64% year-on-year from 2021 to 2022.

“Hybrid cars have been around for some years now. The first hybrid launched in South Africa was the Toyota Prius back in 2005. That said, as an industry, we are in the process of transitioning into a market which is geared, and prepared for new energy vehicles at scale,” AutoTrader CEO George Mienie said.

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“Hybrid vehicles, which, thanks to the escalating fuel price, are now more popular than ever before, offer a bridge into electric powertrain modes of transport. But there’s little research into the hybrid market available to the industry.”

The hybrid question

In spite of the words “hybrid vehicles” having become the latest buzzword, the survey, additionally, reveals that besides South African’s unfamiliarity with how hybrids work, 60% have never experienced a hybrid while less than five percent have actually owned a dual-motor HEV (hybrid electric vehicle).

At the same time, knowledge on how many hybrids are sold in South Africa is non-existent despite the high interest, with similar confusing surrounding the actual configuration of a hybrid vehicle.

In a nutshell

As a refresher, three types of hybrid vehicles are currently marketed in South Africa; traditional hybrids, plug-in hybrid and so-called mild-hybrids. The differences are as follows:

• Hybrids

Utilises a petrol or diesel engine to charge the on-board battery when the voltage becomes low. At low speeds, only the electric motor functions, with the internal combustion unit taking over at a predetermined speed. Despite most hybrids having an EV only drive mode, the range is often restricted to less than 30km.

• Plug-hybrid

Similar to hybrids, PHEVs, as the name suggests, can have their batteries charged-up from a traditional household socket or an electric vehicle charging station. A greater range is possible than with a hybrid, with the internal combustion engine taking over once the battery is depleted.

• Mild-hybrid

Usually depended on a 48-volt electric motor and generator that replaces the starter motor. Despite lacking the EV modes of a hybrid or PHEV, a mild-hybrid’s main benefit is that it provides a strong flow of power when moving slowly using the electrical hardware or acting as an overboost for a few seconds under rapid acceleration.

As with most hybrids, regenerative braking, whereby lost energy is stored within the lithium-ion battery pack, comes standard in the majority of mild-hybrids.

Hybrid vehicle in South Africa

With the exception of full EVs, South Africa’s hybrid vehicle count stands at 24, though this excludes plug-in hybrids as well as mild-hybrid.

These included brings the total number of hybrids to 77 ranging from the R442 800 Toyota Corolla Cross 1.8 Xs Hybrid, to the R7 494 800 Ferrari 296 GTS.

Education needed

In spite of the peaking interest, the findings of the report states that a significant amount of education is still required to better acquaint South Africans with the benefits and hazards of all types of hybrid vehicles.

“It is vital to understand the hybrid sentiment, as it is the clear and obvious stepping stone for in-market car shoppers to migrate to full battery EVs. With that said, there is significant education and awareness required for a move toward the adoption of hybrid cars,” the report reads.

“Organisations such as dealers, manufacturers and industry bodies will, therefore, need to work together to promote, and collaborate in order to drive and spotlight the benefits of hybrid cars.”

The full AutoTrader Hybrid Car Buyer Survey can be viewed here.

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