Tata to expand local offering with two new models
Tata Motors South Africa plans to launch an additional two new models during the course of the year.
- Product News
- 14 January 2026
The Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) might still be a long way from becoming obsolete, but the worldwide trend in favour of New Energy Vehicles (NEV) is growing rapidly.
This is according to the IEA Global EV Outlook 2025, the International Energy Agency's annual report analysing worldwide electric mobility trends. It states that global NEV sales surged to nearly 30% of all new car sales worldwide.
In global new NEV sales Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) are the dominant type among "electric cars" (BEV and PHEV), but conventional Hybrids (HEVs) make up a significant portion of the broader "electrified vehicle" market. Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCEVs) and Range Extender Electric Vehicles (REEVs) remain a niche at less than 1%.
Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs): BEVs account for approximately 60-70% of total "electric car" (BEV + Plug-in Hybrid) sales.
Plug-in Hybrids (PHEVs): PHEVs generally make up the remaining share of "electric car" sales not accounted for by BEVs, which is roughly 30-40%. As a share of the total NEV sales, PHEVs are a smaller percentage than HEVs or BEVs.
Hybrids (HEVs): Conventional hybrids, which do not plug in, have a significant market share and are growing rapidly. In Q1 2025, HEVs made up an estimated 21% of global auto sales.
Range Extender Electric Vehicles (REEVs): These are a specific type of plug-in hybrid. The market share of REEVs has grown significantly in China, surpassing 10% of electric car sales in that market in 2024, but globally they are a smaller subset of the overall PHEV/electric vehicle market.
Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCEVs): These vehicles have a very small market share globally, with sales in the thousands of units annually, representing a negligible percentage of total new energy vehicle sales compared to BEVs and hybrids.
Still find all the abbreviations and acronyms a bit confusing. Let us take a look at who is who in the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) “zoo”?
It is 100% electric with no internal combustion engine, no exhaust and no fuel tank of any kind. It is powered only by batteries and driven by electric motors. To charge it you have to plug it in an electric power source.
Powered primarily by an ICE but linked to a strong battery allowing pure electric driving for up to 200 kilometres, depending on the brand and model. Firing and powering up at the fuel pump and for the battery, plug it in a charger.
Local examples: Chery Tiggo 7/9 CSH, Omoda PHEV, BYD Sealion 5/6 and Lexus NX 450h.
Think back to the Toyota Prius many years ago. It is the classic “self-charging” hybrid. It has a small battery charged by energy generated by braking and the engine itself. The electric drive assists the ICE on pull away and it can do a few kilometres on battery power alone. The very basic form of electric driving.
Local examples: Toyota Corolla Cross, Haval Jolion, Chery Tiggo Cross and the Suzuki Grand Vitara Hybrid.
Not to be confused with PHEV. The big difference with the REEV is that the wheels are always driven by an electric motors and the ICE acts as a generator to keep the battery powered. The advantage is that you do not need a big battery, but the disadvantage is that you still have an ICE active under the bonnet.
Local examples: Leapmotor C10 REEV and the Changan Hunter REEV pickup. Previously the BMW i3 Range Extender was previously available but has been discontinued.
Powered by Hydrogen, an abundant chemical element that forms about 75% of the universe's mass, it is found in water (H₂O). Sounds perfect but it is a very light gas. Storing enough to be useful requires compressing it to very high pressures or liquefying it at extremely low temperatures, both energy-intensive and complex processes. Still very niche.
No local examples available: Trials and limited usage in certain overseas countries include the Toyota Mirai, Hyundai Nexo and BMW iX5 Hydrogen. Local companies such as Sasol and Air Products are involved with BMW and Toyota testing it as an alternative energy source and examples of hydrogen vehicles owned by BMW and Toyota are seen at events on clean energy.
Additional sources:
PwC Strategy& EV Sales Review Q1 2025.
TrendForce Global NEV Sales Q2 2025.
Counterpoint Research Global EV Market Share Q3 2025.
Tata Motors South Africa plans to launch an additional two new models during the course of the year.
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
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