How to charge electric vehicles in South Africa
by MTHULISI SIBANDA
JOHANNESBURG – THE powers behind South Africa’s first electric vehicle road trip (EVRT) hope the imminent 1 454 –kilometre escapade is the beginning of many programmes geared towards driving the adoption of smarter mobility, including electric vehicles, locally.
The trip begins in the capital Pretoria on Thursday (today), passing through Gariep Dam, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Knysna, Worcester before ending in Cape Town.
ACDC Dynamics powers the project, driven by the Department of Transport, Gauteng Provincial Government and African Alliance for Energy Productivity.
Ahead of the EVRT, they stated readiness to prove the possibility to drive across the country without a single drop of petrol.
“We know that the technology is ready, and that’s what events like this are here to show,” said Ben Pullen, CEO of Generation.e – the company that brings the EVRT Africa to the country.
“We hope that this is the start of many initiatives geared towards driving the adoption of all forms of smarter mobility, including electric vehicles, in South Africa. It is for this reason that we are also rolling out electric vehicle charging stations powered by ACDC Dynamics at stops along the way.”
He said although there were many ways that government could support the electric vehicle ecosystem in South Africa, such as lowering import tax costs and enabling infrastructure, it was vital to increase public awareness and education in order to inspire the shift towards smarter mobility.
Among the objectives of the EVRT Africa is to educate and inspire South Africans to make a shift towards smarter mobility. The public is invited to experience the world of electric vehicles during the road trip.
“We look forward to igniting an electric future in South Africa and hope to meet many others along the way who are keen to be inspired about bringing the world of smarter mobility to life in the country,” Pullen said.
– CAJ News