World’s largest maker of new energy vehicles eyes Africa’s untapped market

With over 1 million employees globally, BYD has already eclipsed Tesla in annual vehicle sales, including hybrids, and is staking a claim to leadership in e-mobility across emerging markets.

The firm has introduced several models in South Africa, including the Dolphin, Seal, Sealion, and Shark, and most recently the Dolphin Surf, which starts at around R340,000 (USD 19,000).

In a recent interview, Stella Li, BYD Executive Vice President, emphasised the next step: “We are looking to massively expand our charging infrastructure in the country.”

Her team intends to roll out 1 MW fast-charging hubs, initially at dealerships and then along highways and in urban hubs. She cautioned, however, that no current BYD battery can yet support that charging speed because the infrastructure was built ahead of demand.

Alongside fast chargers, BYD plans to increase solar-powered EV coverage, albeit at slower speeds, to broaden access.

While Li didn’t confirm a total investment figure, she noted the automaker, currently valued at around R2 trillion ZAR (≈ USD 133 billion), would invest “a lot” in South Africa to deepen its footprint.

Yet despite the charging ambition, BYD has no immediate plans to manufacture cars locally.

“We are still a very new player in the South African automobile space,” Li explained, noting local production remains a possibility only “far in the future.”

That stance is striking in a country with robust auto manufacturing capacity, access to key minerals, and a growing wave of international EV interest.

BYD faces competition from fast-growing Chinese rivals Chery and GWM, as well as the resurgence of Tata Motors from India. Some estimates suggest over a third of vehicles sold in South Africa today are imported from China or India.

For pan-African stakeholders, BYD’s move is more than a South Africa play, it signals the electrification of the African motor ecosystem. If the charging network spreads beyond national borders, BYD could become a backbone for cross-continental EV adoption.

With one eye on highways and the other on city grids, BYD is charging ahead, and Africa is watching.