Electric vehicles outperform hybrids on efficiency and cost
As South Africa forges ahead in the automotive landscape, a notable divide has emerged in the growing realm of new-energy vehicles.
- New Energy Vehicles
- 8 December 2025
RAM Hand-to-Hand Couriers added 100 new Transit vans to its fleet, which already consists of 578 Ford vehicles.
RAM says it has taken delivery of more than 1 600 Fords since the start of the partnership and that the new 100 vehicles will further strengthen this dynamic vehicle partnership.
“Our partnership with Ford is built on over two decades of trust and support,” says David Lazarus, Executive Chairman at RAM. “We purchased our first Ford vehicle in 2004 and since then the backing we receive from Ford has been phenomenal.
“Our current fleet, which includes Transits and Rangers, is deployed across all our branches nationwide, and reliability, as well as fuel efficiency, is critical to delivering a seamless experience to our customers. Over the years, we've experienced minimal downtime. When we've had challenges, Ford has always been responsive, adapting vehicles to meet the demands of our local operating conditions,” David concludes.
It’s common for them to travel distances of up to 500 kilometres a day. One of RAM’s vehicles, a 2019 Ranger 2.0 SiT XLT 4x4, covered over 500 000km through the RAM partnership. Highlighting their exceptional reliability is the fact that there are 51 Ford vehicles that are older than 10 years and 35 Ford vehicles have exceeded 300 000kms.
“The strength of our relationship with RAM is built on trust in our products, in our after-sales support, and in our ability to deliver consistent performance day in and day out,” says Ryan Searle, Director, Sales Operations at Ford South Africa.
The new Transit Custom helps small and medium businesses to cut ownership costs and boost productivity. It features a new, lighter and stiffer platform with improved aerodynamics (13% lower drag), a longer wheelbase for better cargo space, and a height under two metres for easy access to tight areas.
Cargo access is easier thanks to a larger side door with a step, a lower load floor, and a load-through feature offering up to 5.8m³ of volume and a payload of 1 269kg. It can carry three Euro pallets and tow up to 2 500kg. Practical touches include LED lighting, tie-down loops and twin rear cargo doors.
As South Africa forges ahead in the automotive landscape, a notable divide has emerged in the growing realm of new-energy vehicles.
Volkswagen is accelerating its African ambitions, with Egypt emerging as the latest contender for a major manufacturing role.
Kenya’s automotive industry recently made headlines when Tad Motors unveiled its first range of locally assembled electric vehicles (EVs), igniting discussions across Africa about the continent’s growing capacity for indigenous mobility solutions.
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I always do like seeing other people dance in their cars. It's one of the things that makes me happy.
Ariel Gore
Volkswagen is accelerating its African ambitions, with Egypt emerging as the latest contender for a major manufacturing role.
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