Aftermarket opportunities in South Africa’s NECV sector

July 24, 2026

Battery-electric buses and trucks are arriving on South African roads, but they are just the opening act. As plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles enter the commercial fleet equation, a new and complex aftermarket landscape is taking shape, as JULIA TEW reports.

Where fleet operators once spoke of “electric vehicles”, the conversation is broadening to new energy commercial vehicles (NECVs) – an umbrella that encompasses battery-electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

Globally, the NECV market is projected to grow at a compound annual rate of 13% between 2026 and 2033. In South Africa, the foundations are already being laid, with improving technology capabilities, reduced cost of batteries and increased demand for carbon emission reduction all driving growth. The aftermarket industry would be wise to pay close attention to all three propulsion streams, rather than any one alone.

The fleet is growing

The most visible early momentum is in battery-electric buses, particularly for public transport. Golden Arrow Bus Services has played a pioneering role, officially introducing two BYD eBuses into service in 2021 – a first for South Africa – and then introducing 120 more to active service by the end of 2025, making it the first large-scale zero-emission public transport fleet on the continent.

The City of Cape Town, meanwhile, has procured 30 low-floor electric buses from Volvo Bus Southern Africa for the MyCiTi BRT fleet. The first bus is expected in August 2026, with all 30 scheduled for delivery by June 2027. The cumulative market size for the eBus sector is projected at 576 vehicles by 2030, according to GreenCape’s Electric Vehicles Market Intelligence Report 2025.

Investors are also eyeing electrification opportunities in freight and logistics – particularly first- and middle-mile delivery – thanks to the success of early movers. In August 2025, DHL Supply Chain, together with Unilever and Volvo Trucks, put Africa’s first fully electric Superlink on the road – a Volvo FMX 6×4 tractor coupled to an 18-m curtain-sided double trailer, charged via infrastructure supplied by local EV specialist Aeversa. “This pilot underscores DHL’s commitment to sustainable logistics and transport solutions, despite infrastructure challenges in Africa,” says Bremer Pauw, managing director of DHL Supply Chain Africa.

Solar-powered charging infrastructure is also advancing along key freight corridors. Cape Town-based Zero Carbon Charge, for example, is rolling out fully off-grid charging stations along the N3 between Johannesburg and Durban, targeting passenger vehicles initially but with the intention to service commercial vehicles (CVs) in time.

Hybrids: the pragmatic middle ground

PHEVs and conventional hybrids offer a practical onramp for fleet operators not yet ready for full electrification. They are particularly relevant in South Africa, given the country’s uneven charging infrastructure and range demands on long-haul routes. Sales of all PHEVs were up 280% in 2025 compared to 2024, with no loss of momentum in the first quarter of 2026, making this the fastest growing vehicle type in the country, according to naamsa’s Quarterly Review.

While much activity to date has been in passenger vehicles, Chinese NECV manufacturers are aggressively expanding PHEV commercial offerings globally, including Yutong eBuses, SAIC Maxus and Farizon electric vans, as well as BYD, Foton, SANY, Sinotruk and Dongfeng NECVs. Many are already present in the SA market in several segments.

For the aftermarket, PHEVs are a particularly interesting category: they retain many conventional service requirements – oil changes, air filters, turbochargers, exhaust components – while adding battery and electric drivetrain servicing needs on top. In practical terms, PHEVs represent a longer runway for traditional aftermarket businesses before the transition fully takes hold.

Hydrogen: the long game

South Africa’s hydrogen story is not purely theoretical. In May 2022, Anglo American unveiled a prototype hydrogen-powered mine haul truck at the Mogalakwena platinum mine in Limpopo. Billed at the time as the world’s largest hydrogen-powered mine haul truck, it used a 2-MW hydrogen fuel-cell and battery hybrid system retrofitted into a diesel haul truck capable of carrying a 290-tonne payload. The prototype completed approximately a year of operational trials, but the originally proposed rollout of about 40 hydrogen trucks at Mogalakwena did not proceed as initially envisaged.

A hydrogen mobility corridor along the N3 between Durban and Johannesburg has also been discussed as a pilot for hydrogen-powered heavy trucks, with Toyota South Africa among the parties exploring the technology for long-haul freight. Toyota believes hydrogen fuel-cells are better suited for large CVs than battery technology, given the refuelling speed and range advantages. South Africa’s abundant platinum group metals – critical to fuel-cell production – give the country a unique strategic stake in the hydrogen economy.

A different kind of workshop

While some NECVs have fewer moving parts than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, they still require regular maintenance. Key service areas include software updates and the maintenance of batteries, charging equipment and drivetrains.

The aftermarket is being reshaped across all three NECV propulsion types. Understanding which parts categories grow, which transform and which shrink is essential for suppliers and fitment businesses planning for the next five years and beyond.

Batteries are the single largest aftermarket segment for BEVs and FCEVs globally, and this holds true for CVs. Battery pack replacement, thermal management servicing and software-driven health monitoring represent significant revenue – but require specialist skills, tooling and safety protocols for working with high-voltage systems.

Tyres remain a high-frequency replacement item – and wear more rapidly in electric CVs due to the instant torque delivery of electric motors and the additional weight of battery packs. Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear and Continental have all developed dedicated EV tyre ranges globally, with low rolling resistance profiles designed to protect battery range. Well positioned here is Bridgestone South Africa’s extensive truck and bus tyre business – with the company’s first-ever EV-specific tyre, the Turanza EV – as well as the broader fitment network serving fleet operators.

Brake parts require a reorientation rather than a reduction. Regenerative braking handles most of the deceleration, so friction wear falls dramatically. But reduced use introduces a new failure mode: rust and corrosion on pads and rotors that sit idle between hard stops. Service intervals should shift from mileage-based wear checks to corrosion inspection protocols.

Engine oil filters and diesel air intake filters disappear entirely from BEV service schedules – a volume hit for filter suppliers. PHEVs, however, retain the full conventional filter requirement, and all NECVs continue to need cabin air filtration for HVAC systems. Battery cooling circuits in larger vehicles also introduce fluid management and filtration needs of their own.

Lighting and electronic components represent one of the most active growth areas. NECVs carry substantially more embedded electronics than diesel equivalents – inverters, battery management systems, onboard chargers, telematics units and regenerative braking controllers all need specialist diagnostics and replacement capability. Global aftermarket leaders including Bosch, ZF Friedrichshafen and Aptiv are already positioning in this space.

Body parts and wheels follow broadly conventional patterns, though the integration of high voltage cabling and battery housings into body structures adds complexity to any panel work that intersects with electrical systems.

Turbochargers largely disappear from BEV and FCEV service schedules – no combustion engine means no turbo. PHEVs, however, retain this requirement. Suppliers heavily dependent on turbocharger volumes will need to map their PHEV exposure carefully and plan accordingly.

The infrastructure and skills imperative

The shift to NECVs is not only a parts story; it is a people and capability story. High-voltage systems require electrically trained technicians, while hydrogen fuel-cell systems require an entirely different skill set again, including handling compressed gas at pressure and understanding fuel-cell chemistry.

Retail Motor Industry (RMI) CEO Ipeleng Mabusela is direct about what is at stake for the sector as a whole. “The automotive aftermarket accounts for more than half of the sector’s value-add and approximately 70% of total automotive employment,” he says. “With over 23,000 businesses – largely SMEs – and more than 270,000 jobs, it is the backbone of mobility, affordability and road safety across the country. Hybrid vehicles are already reshaping workshop realities and lead today. EVs will grow next, and it is critical that skills move ahead of the market.”

That urgency has translated into action. In late 2025, merSETA and the RMI launched South Africa’s first nationally accredited Electromobility Occupational Skills Programme – a full qualification for EV and hybrid vehicle technicians, developed in partnership with the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations. Naphtaly Mokgotsane, acting CEO of merSETA, described it as “a long-overdue groundbreaking development” and “a vital investment in the skills needed for the future”. Louis van Huyssteen, RMI’s national training director, pointed to the need for urgency. “Working on electric vehicles without proper qualifications is dangerous,” he said, citing the specific hazards of high-voltage battery systems and advanced diagnostics.

Notably, the qualification process has not been frictionless. Johan van der Merwe, chairperson of the Tyre Equipment Parts Association (TEPA), flagged a tension that will resonate with independent aftermarket businesses: “While challenges exist in the alignment of training needs between merSETA, OEMs and the aftermarket, we look forward to the next session, where we hope to finalise the scoping and profiling.” It is a pointed reminder that OEM-controlled service networks and independent workshops do not always share the same interests – and that the aftermarket must advocate actively for its seat at the table as these qualifications are designed.

Mature but transitioning

The NECV transition will not wait for the aftermarket to feel ready. OEM service networks are already positioning to capture the high-value work – batteries, diagnostics, software – for which independent workshops have not yet trained. The businesses that move now, before scale arrives, are the ones that will still be relevant when it does.