South Africans are staring down another fuel price shock, and for many drivers, the question is no longer abstract. It is immediate, practical and expensive: should you keep your current car, move to something more fuel efficient, or finally start taking electric and hybrid vehicles seriously?
In this episode of Making Sense, Gareth Edwards speaks to Michael Pashut, CEO and Founder of Changecars, about the renewed interest in EVs and hybrids as fuel costs threaten to hit households even harder in April. The conversation opens with the scale of the expected fuel pain, with petrol and diesel increases set to squeeze commuters, families and businesses alike.
From there, the episode moves into the real decision-making territory. Michael argues against panic-selling or making a rushed move purely because of one price shock. At the same time, he explains why second-hand electric vehicles may suddenly offer unusually strong value, especially if demand begins rising as fuel pressure intensifies.
But the episode does not stay in ideal-world motoring theory. It keeps returning to the South African reality test. Gareth reflects on the anxiety of trying to live with an electric vehicle during load shedding, uncertain home charging and limited public infrastructure. That leads to one of the clearest takeaways in the conversation: while full EVs may represent the future, plug-in hybrids may currently offer the more practical middle ground for South Africans who want some fuel relief without losing the safety net of an internal combustion engine.
This is not just a conversation about cars. It is a conversation about affordability, infrastructure, timing and what actually makes sense in a country where every big purchase has to survive real-world conditions.
Fuel is rising. EV interest is rising with it. But the question that lingers is the one this episode keeps circling: in South Africa right now, what is the smart move, and what is just panic in a more expensive outfit?
Catch up on all Making Sense episodes here: https://www.enca.com/making-sense-south-africas-economic-pulse-budget-2026
