The Chery Q was the best-selling fully electric car among brands that report model-level sales in South Africa in October 2026, in only its second month on sale. Cars.co.za's reading of naamsa's October data shows 438 registrations for the Q, more than double the 214 it recorded in September, its launch month. The Citizen's October sales round-up also puts the Q at 438, ahead of the BYD Dolphin Surf, which it displaced as the top-selling EV.

There's an important catch. The ranking only covers brands that report model-level sales to naamsa. Geely, Dongfeng, iCaur, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche all sell EVs here but don't report, and BMW (including Mini) reports only once a quarter. So cars that may sell well, such as Geely's E2, are missing from the table.

October's EV sales among reporting brands

According to Cars.co.za's breakdown of naamsa data for October 2026:

  • Chery Q: 438
  • BYD Dolphin Surf: 248
  • Arcfox T1 (BAIC): 43, in its launch month
  • BYD Dolphin: 25
  • Volvo EX30: 23, plus 7 EX30 Cross Country
  • BYD Atto 3: 16
  • BYD Sealion 7: 11
  • Toyota bZ4X: 9
  • MG Cyberster: 5
  • Volvo EC40: 4
  • BYD Seal: 4

Some models can't be counted cleanly. BYD combines Atto 2 EV sales with the plug-in hybrid version (186 in total), and the figures for the GWM Ora 5 (336), Jaecoo J5 (350) and Lexus ES (6) mix electric and non-electric versions.

How big is the Q for Chery?

Cars.co.za reports that the Q was Chery's second-best-selling model in October, behind the Tiggo 4 Cross (1 924). Its 438 sales beat the Tiggo 7 (251), Tiggo 8 (111) and Tiggo 9 (30) combined, and made up 15.9% of Chery's 2 754 sales for the month. naamsa's October flash report confirms the brand total of 2 754. All of the Q's registrations went through the dealer channel, Cars.co.za says.

What it means if you're shopping for an EV

Cars.co.za lists the four cheapest new EVs as:

  • Geely E2 Aspire: R339 900
  • BYD Dolphin Surf Comfort: R341 900
  • Dongfeng Box E2 430: R349 000
  • Chery Q Comfort: R349 900

Chery SA lists the Q Comfort at R349 900 and the Elite at R389 900, with rear-wheel drive, 115 Nm and a WLTP range of 310 km. MyBroadband reports a 90 kW motor and a 42.7 kWh battery.

Our take: the two best-selling EVs among reporting brands are both priced at about R350 000, which suggests the affordable end is where EV demand is growing. Strong early sales don't tell you whether a car suits your driving, though. Before you buy, weigh the purchase price against what you'd spend on charging, fuel and finance. Our EV calculator lets you put the Chery Q, the BYD Dolphin Surf and other cars side by side, based on your province, how you'd charge and your budget.

What to watch

  • November figures: whether the Q keeps its lead in its third month on sale.
  • Arcfox T1: how it sells after a full month on the market.
  • Missing brands: if Geely or the other non-reporting brands start sharing figures with naamsa, the EV ranking could change.