The BMW iX xDrive 50 was one of the cars used to test South Africa’s readiness for EVs on cross-country journeys.

The global auto industry will see record sales of 97.2 million vehicles in 2025, driven mostly by EVs, according to The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Automotive Outlook.

EVs will again be the best performing segment, and it expects sales will increase by 16% to 19.4 million units. The report also warns that global trade barriers will hamper market growth and fracture supply chains, which will keep EV prices higher for longer. Western carmakers, meanwhile, will remain torn between old and new technologies as they face competition from China.