CAPE TOWN, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese automaker BYD has topped South Africa's most searched electric vehicle (EV) list, local media reported Friday, citing data from price comparison firm MoneySuperMarket.
The study, which analyzed Google search volumes for more than 200 EV models across over 200 countries, found that the BYD Dolphin Surf was South Africa's most searched EV between April 2025 and April 2026, with 74,350 annual searches.
The BMW i7 ranked second with 57,600 searches, followed closely by the BYD Sealion 6. BYD accounted for five of South Africa's 10 most searched EVs, reflecting the growing presence of Chinese automakers in the local market.
The Tesla Cybertruck was the only Tesla model to rank among South Africa's top five most searched EVs, recording 45,300 annual searches. Other models in the top 10 included the Volvo EX30, BYD Seal, BYD Sealion 7, Rolls-Royce Spectre and Porsche Taycan.
Globally, searches for EVs increased by 168 percent year on year, with BYD models ranking first in 50 countries.
Local media quoted industry experts as saying that a wider range of available models and improving affordability were helping fuel consumer interest in EVs.
