Chinese EV Giant BYD Surpasses Honda and Mazda as South African Sales Data Finally Goes Public

BYD March 2026 sales figures show the brand outselling Honda and Mazda in South Africa, correcting previous reports of a declining electric vehicle market.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 2, 2026, 8:09 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from MyBroadband

The Sudden Shift in South African EV Statistics

The landscape of the South African automotive industry has undergone a dramatic revision following the first official release of sales figures from BYD. For over a year, the National Automobile Association of South Africa reported stumbling growth in the electric vehicle sector, citing a 13% decline in registrations during 2025. However, it has now been confirmed that these figures were incomplete because BYD, the world’s largest electric car manufacturer, had not been sharing its data. The new March 2026 tally of 589 units suggests that total domestic electric car sales actually increased throughout the previous year.

Outpacing Established Internal Combustion Brands

BYD’s performance in March 2026 has placed it as the 21st highest selling manufacturer in the country, remarkably beating long established legacy brands such as Honda and Mazda. The company came within just six units of matching the monthly sales of Mercedes Benz, signaling a rapid shift in consumer preference toward affordable new energy vehicles. According to industry analysis, this growth was fueled by a substantial expansion of BYD’s product line, which grew to include eight different models by the start of 2026, ranging from compact hatchbacks to premium sedans and plug in hybrids.

The Impact of the Most Affordable Electric Vehicle

At the center of this sales surge is the BYD Dolphin Surf, a compact hatchback that has become the primary driver of electric adoption in the region. Priced from R341,990, the model effectively undercut previous entry level electric options by a significant margin. In March alone, the Dolphin Surf recorded 239 sales, accounting for nearly half of the brand's total volume. Industry experts suggest that if this model’s late 2025 performance had been factored into earlier reports, the narrative of a "stumbling" electric vehicle market would have been replaced by one of continued double digit growth.