Plans to roll out new electric charging network in South Africa

 ·12 May 2023

Charging stations for electric vehicles (EV) across South Africa are one step closer to becoming a reality as pressure mounts on regulators to push forward policies that benefit the development of green energy transport in the country.

Local clean energy company Zero Carbon Charge said that ministers and industry role-players are pushing for the country’s automotive industry to start manufacturing EVs.

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, has announced that by March 2024, his department would have finalised the policy regarding EVs in South Africa. The private sector is also getting on board with the shift away from fossil-fueled modes of transport.

Andries Malherbe and Joubert Roux, co-founders of Zero Carbon Charge, aim to fast-track the country to a low-carbon economy by electrifying the transport sector with renewable energy.

The group plans to roll out a national network of ultra-fast EV chargers at 150km intervals on all strategic routes across all nine provinces.

Developing fast-charging stations across the country incentivises the uptake of EVs as they will be able to travel outside of urban areas.

According to the company, the charging stations will be off-grid, ensuring a reliable and stable energy supply.

Zero Carbon Charge’s first phase of its rollout project is set to comprise 120 stations for charging passenger, commercial and small trucks.

“We are excited to offer a solution that addresses both load shedding challenges as well as range anxiety for drivers outside of urban areas,” said Roux.

Zero Carbon Charge has entered into agreements with 91 landowners to have off-grid charging stations developed on their land.

All sites are set to include three components:

  • A farm stall, parking area and restroom facilities
  • Multiple vehicle charging station area
  • A solar photovoltaic system

“Plans are forging ahead to break ground on the first site – Dassiesfontein on the N2 before the end of the year,” said the company.

“External pressures such as the EU banning the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2035, as well as South Africa, being a signatory to the Paris Agreement with ambitions to lower greenhouse gas emissions by 5% by 2050, are all reasons why an increased adoption of EVs can be expected, and we need to be ready,” he added.

Load shedding or not, switching to electric cars in South Africa is just a matter of time

The group believes that South Africa will inevitably make the switch to EVs along with the transitions to a greener economy within major markets and suppliers.

The chief executive of driver training group MasterDrive, Eugene Herbert, echoed this sentiment when he said that the adoption of EVs is not a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’.

“In the first three months of 2022, South Africa sold over 1,400 electric vehicles. This is more than 2020 and 2021 combined,” he said. This shows a growing interest.

Further positive steps toward EV adoption have been the fact that all nine provinces have ratified their Green Transport Strategy framework.


Read: D-day for South Africa’s strict new driving rules coming soon

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