Cars.co.za report offers interesting insights
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
- Dealer News
- 22 September 2026
A recent report by the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) should be carefully considered by markets such as South Africa, which are currently embarking on their own electric vehicle (EV) journey.
Reuters reported that the United States (US) electricity consumption from EVs over the first two months of 2024 jumped by over 50% from the same months in 2023 as EVs continue to penetrate the US car market and impact electricity flows.
Total electricity use by EVs through February 2024 was 1.58 million megawatt hours (MWh), compared with 1.04 million MWh during the same period in 2023, according to the EIA.
That 52% rise in EV electricity use from early 2023 exceeded the 40% growth rate posted in 2023 from January-February 2022 and indicates that the impact from rapidly expanding EV sales continues to increase in electricity markets.
EVs accounted for 16% of all light-duty vehicle sales in the US in 2023, when collective electricity use by EVs overtook electricity demand by US railways for the first time, according to the EIA's latest Electric Power Monthly report.
Total electricity consumption by EVs in 2023 was 7.6 million MWh, up 45% from 2022's total.
The growth lagged the record 49.2% growth in EV electricity demand posted in 2022, but was the second largest annual growth rate on record and brings the five-year average annual growth rate for EV electricity demand to 37.2%.
The top state for EV electricity consumption was California, the most populous US state, where EVs consumed 2.58 million MWh of electricity and accounted for just under 34% of total national EV electricity demand.
That share was down from 35.2% in 2022, indicating that EV electricity demand grew faster in other states last year.
Florida (458 767 MWh), Texas (417 027 MWh), New York (337 367 MWh) and Washington (308 724 MWh) were the top five states for EV electricity demand in 2023.
In terms of vehicle type, battery electric vehicles accounted for nearly 72% of total EV electricity use, while plug-in hybrids accounted for 28.3%.
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
Nissan has introduced the Tekton, a new compact SUV for the South African market. The model is built on the Renault‑Nissan alliance’s CMF‑B platform and is closely related to the Renault Duster, sharing engines and mechanical components.
At the recent DealerCon 2026, hosted by Cars.co.za automotive excellence was celebrated by honouring top executives in the automotive retails industry.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?
George Carlin
For most of driving history, the sound of excitement has been orchestrated by the internal combustion engine (ICE).
Toyota is sharpening its focus on hydrogen as a practical route to cleaner heavy-duty transport, using IAA Transportation 2026 to showcase new fuel cell technology and partnerships with leading commercial vehicle manufacturers.
To mark World EV Day, Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) has launched the N3 EV Real-World Test. The initiative will turn everyday electric vehicle journeys between Johannesburg and Durban into a growing source of real-world data for South African motorists and fleet operators considering the switch to electric.