Manufacturers to Expedite Charging Project

Local vehicle manufacturers are planning to accelerate the multi-million-rand project to install more than 100 new energy vehicle (NEV) charging stations on major routes countrywide this year.

- Roy Cokayne

Mikel Mabasa, CEO of automotive business council Naamsa, the representative body of vehicle manufacturers, importers and distributors in South Africa, confirmed the charging station project had not been abandoned, but was delayed by the need to ensure that all key stakeholders were brought on board.

"We are going to be accelerating it as we move into 2025," he said.

"It moved relatively slower last year than we had anticipated, but we will definitely pick up the pace this year.

It cannot be abandoned. It's a very important project for us because we really want to put up additional national charging infrastructure across all the national highways in the country."

Mabasa said the project moved more slowly than anticipated because of, among other reasons, the many challenges the country had been facing, including economic challenges and the economic slowdown.

He said the project had also been delayed because of the need to attract black-owned businesses so they would express interest in the tender.