A Dutch couple are aiming to complete a trip from one corner of Europe to the tip of Africa and back, with a difference.
Maarten van Pel and Renske Cox, who have set out to prove that electric vehicle (EV) motoring can be done over long distances, are in the middle of a trip from the Netherlands to Cape Town. The 40,000km odyssey started in their hometown and has skirted the western edge of Africa, aiming for the very tip of the continent.
One of their goals is to show that it is possible to drive long distances in an EV in places without any infrastructure, provided you have time on your hands. Along the way, the nature lovers are highlighting sustainable energy initiatives in the places they visit.
The electric car “revolution” has not charged into SA the way that some people had envisioned. All-electric models, most from premium brands, trickle onto sales listings while the majority of locally represented carmakers are playing the waiting game.
There are several reasons the EV uptake hasn’t been more popular in SA. Lack of infrastructure, high cost of new models and range anxiety rate highly among them. The same cannot be said for other parts of the world where EVs regularly rank near the top of new-car sales charts.
To drive an EV from the Netherlands to SA and back is not an easy task. The pair opted for a Skoda Enyaq to make the trip. The SUV is powered purely by batteries and features all-wheel-drive.
“We chose the Skoda Enyaq because it’s a regular family car, which makes our expedition more approachable for others. Plus it’s efficient and big enough to store everything we need,” Renske says.
As for recharging the car’s power source, they wanted to be completely self-reliant; there's no diesel generator in tow or backup vehicle. To date, they have charged the batteries using mostly solar power. The Skoda is loaded with 61m² solar panels weighing about 200kg. The two assemble their solar array whenever the Skoda’s battery pack needs to be topped up. This can take a while depending on conditions.
The car is packed with gear as they aim to be as self-sufficient as possible. It is also fitted with a 50l water tank for daily activities, a shower, induction stove, off-road rescue equipment and a refrigerator. The couple sleep in a rooftop tent.
Maarten says they have shown locals en route that long distances can be covered mostly using solar power. “We were stopped by a policeman in Nigeria and when we told him it was an electric car, his jaw dropped. We can really show the potential for the future and the people here love it.”
He continues: “In West Africa we did not see that much electric mobility, as this is not people’s priority yet. In East Africa we expect people to have the opportunity to spend more time and money in electric mobility, therefore I am looking forward to see what is happening there especially as what we have seen so far in Africa is that the people are very creative.”
Cox says it has been a memorable trip: “We are so proud we drove solely on self-generated solar energy from Morocco to Ghana, more than 5,550km. Another highlight was seeing the difference of each African country, nature and culture both. You slowly see it all evolve from the Netherlands to SA.”
The first time the Skoda was charged with a “fast” charger in Africa was when the they arrived in Namibia. The second was a few days later at a new car dealership.
“We will drive back home along the east coast of Africa. We can’t wait to experience the east of the continent, too,” Cox says.
To learn more about these two adventure seekers visit their website 4x4electric.com or their Facebook page.
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