Electric vehicles (EVs) face immense barriers to mass take-up in SA, not least government intransigence. The state imposes a 25% import duty on EVs, vs 18% for cars using internal combustion engines (ICEs).
That is on top of already high price tags, the limited range of most early models and the lack of an adequate charging infrastructure.
Once EVs go into mass production comparable to ICE vehicles, the reduced number of moving parts should result in prices falling sharply.
New models also have dramatically improved ranges, with the BMW iX promising a range of up to 630km on one charge, while the Jaguar I-Pace, Volvo XC40 Recharge and Audi e-tron series all deliver more than 400km on a charge. Preparing to outdo everyone, more than 1,000km is on offer from Nissan’s new e-power technology, which uses fuel to power a generator that recharges a vehicle on the move. Nissan is expected to bring e-power models to SA later this year.
Charging infrastructure is, in theory, widely available. Charging overnight at home is the most common approach, Eskom willing. On the roads, GridCars has installed more than 300 charging stations in major cities and along main routes. It is possible to “fill up” with electricity at enough charging stations between Johannesburg and Cape Town to cover the full route electrically. However, the typical recharge at one of these stations takes between 30 and 75 minutes, and many urban charging stations are still hampered by usability issues. It’s a little like widely available public Wi-Fi that is not as available, as reliable or as fast as the hype suggests.
The oft-quoted statistic that SA has one of the highest ratios of charging stations to EVs in the world is also misleading: it is a factor of how few EVs are on our roads. Nevertheless, it is an indicator of a country preparing for a revolution.
Now there is a new indicator: training first responders like fire services and paramedics in basic skills to isolate and deal with EV safety issues.
This week, Audi SA concluded facilitation of a training programme with 70 South African first responders at its Dealer Training Academy in Pretoria. Part of Audi’s e-tron launch and EV roll out in this country, it was conducted in partnership with the department of cooperative governance and the National Disaster Management Centre, using classroom and practical training.
“With the arrival of more and more electric vehicles on our roads and across the country, the training of this nature was invaluable to our first responder teams,” said Thibedi Jappie Lengoabala, acting director of South African National Fire and Emergency Services. “It is great to see that the future of automotive is taking place in SA and that our teams are seen as an important stakeholder within this new era.”
Fire services personnel completed a “train the trainer” programme that will allow them to handle EV incidents on South African roads, and to train their colleagues.
The curriculum seems obvious, but only once it is spelt out: education and awareness of EV product features; technicalities of charging; battery operations; and safety guidelines for handling an electrically operated vehicle in comparison to an ICE.
Sascha Sauer, head of Audi SA, says there is an important responsibility “to bring these teams along on our local EV transition or journey”. And the responsibility will only become greater.
“EVs are increasing in popularity and will have an extensive presence on our roads within the next five years. While EVs will present new and unique challenges to our emergency services, there are effective ways to ensure safe and operative responses to any EV-related incident. Skilled and qualified personnel is key to all of this.”
The car parts and puzzle pieces are all falling into place. Now we await a jolt in the behind of the nation’s lawmakers.
• Goldstuck is founder of World Wide Worx and editor-in-chief of Gadget.co.za
