If higher fuel prices were meant to push South Africans more decisively toward electric vehicles, the latest used car data from AutoTrader shows that it is happening, just not all at once.
Looking at Q1 2026 versus Q1 2025, the shift is clearer when you focus on Consumer Advert Views CAVs. These arent just vague searches, they reflect people spending time on actual listings rather than passive browsing, and that kind of engagement is definitely up. The Volvo EX30, for example, moved from 40,337 views to 43,362, an increase of 7.5, while the Volvo XC40 Recharge climbed from 23,077 to 28,566, up 23.8 year-on-year. Even the BMW iX, which sits higher up the price ladder, grew from 29,862 to 38,686 views, a jump of 29.5. Interest is not only growing, its becoming more focused.
Shifting interest towards new entrants
