Solar-powered superchargers to amp up EVs in SA soon

Zero Carbon Charge will introduce 480kW superchargers at its 120 renewable electric vehicle (EV) charging stations being rolled out across SA.

The local company has signed a memorandum of understanding with Chinese energy storage systems manufacturer Shanghai Magic Power Tech, also known as Magic Power, and its local partner, Greencore Energy Solutions.

It means customers at Zero Carbon Charge’s off-grid, solarpowered charging stations will be able to charge any EV at its maximum charging rate.

“The first batch of super chargers is expected to arrive in SA before July, which means — pending regulatory approvals — we are on track to have our full network of 120 solar-powered charging facilities operational by September 2025,” Zero Carbon Charge co-founder and director Joubert Roux said.

Roux said SA’s national predominantly coal-fired grid would not be able to cope with the demands imposed on it by the mass charging of EVs.

“To stabilise the grid and end load-shedding faster it is critical that prioritisation is given to the rollout of off-grid powered EVs.”

“An EV charged with Eskom’s coal-fired electricity emits 5.3 metric tonnes of carbon emissions in a year whereas a petrol vehicle, on average, emits 4.4 metric tonnes of carbon emissions in a year if driven over the same distance.”

In a R1.8bn investment, Zero Carbon Charge aims to roll out a national network of ultrafast EV chargers at 150km intervals on strategic routes across all nine provinces.

It says they can charge an EV in about 25 minutes.

The venture will add to SA’s rapidly growing charging network, which already has several hundred public sites with GridCars and Rubicon the major players. —