• BYD to install 200-300 EV chargers in South Africa by 2026
• Fast-charging stations powered by grid or solar in off-grid areas
• Move marks major push into Africa’s top auto market
  

Chinese automaker BYD plans to install between 200 and 300 fast-charging stations across South Africa by the end of 2026, Tech media outlet TechCentral reported last Thursday, quoting Executive Vice President Stella Li.

The investment cost was not disclosed, but the charging points will be powered either by the national grid or by solar PV systems in off-grid areas. The stations will enable users to recharge their vehicles for up to 400 km of range in as little as five minutes.

The announcement signals BYD’s aggressive push into Africa’s largest automotive market as competition intensifies. The company, Tesla’s main global rival, faces established international players such as Volkswagen, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz, along with about fifteen Chinese competitors, including BAIC, Great Wall Motor, and Chery. The latter announced plans in July to set up manufacturing facilities in South Africa, where it sells nearly 3,000 vehicles per month.

Although Li noted that BYD is still in the early stages of building its dealership network in South Africa, the company views the country as a strategic entry point for its African expansion.

“It is the biggest [vehicle] market in the whole African continent, [so] we need to focus here,” Li said. “Once we start here, you can duplicate the story into other African countries.”

In September 2025, BYD Auto South Africa signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with state-owned utility Eskom to promote electric mobility. The company also recently unveiled a new electric vehicle, billed as the most affordable model on the South African market.

Espoir Olodo