Driving SA into a new era
Electric vehicle adoption will support the transition to a sustainable, cleaner and more efficient future
The everyday application of electric vehicles (EVs) is no longer a distant possibility. EVs are slowly establishing a footprint in the South African market, transitioning the country’s automotive industry into a future-orientated state and linking motoring enjoyment to environmental mindfulness.
Just shy of 4,800 newenergy vehicles were sold in South Africa in 2022, comprising 502 battery EVs, 122 plug-in hybrids, and 4,050 mild hybrids, according to Naamsa.
Adoption of new-energy vehicles in South Africa has been slower than the global average due to a variety of reasons including product availability, pricing, import duty surcharges and power supply challenges.
But on the positive side, the local market has grown 106% between January and March this year compared with the same period a year ago. This is a positive performance as our country progresses towards the future of mobility.
The ‘Future is an Attitude’
Audi is committed to the exciting possibilities of sustainable mobility, led by electric innovation. The brand believes the “Future is an Attitude” because the future is created through the ability to embrace transformation and see the potential this new era of mobility presents.
Sascha Sauer, head of Audi South Africa, says the future of mobility goes beyond electric power-train considerations, incorporating a connected lifestyle and facilitating a seamless transition between home, car and workplace through the integration of digital technology.
“We see a whole ecosystem developing around owning and using an EV. Just consider how an EV could contribute to combating the energy crisis once it offers bidirectional charging which — when not in use — could feed electricity back into the grid,” says Sauer.
“Electric cars are already able to charge intelligently during off-peak times when electricity is cheaper and capacities less strained. The future of mobility also considers autonomous driving possibilities and the impact this has on vehicle design, especially the interior space, for our customers.”
This may seem a distant dream for South Africans, but the reality is that automotive innovation on a global level is progressing at an exponential pace. Consider the four sphere concept vehicles recently unveiled by Audi — the skysphere, grandsphere, activesphere, and urbansphere concepts.
Each vehicle represents a different take on Audi’s vision of the not-too-distant future of personal transport. That vision sees the interior as — in Audi’s words —“the foundation for design and technology, turning the vehicle into a luxurious space, where the passengers can enjoy life and experiences while on the go”.
Innovative solutions as a first step towards the future
Audi launched the first models in its fully electric e-tron range in South Africa in February 2022, with more set to follow in the near future.
To support the advancement of EV adoption, Audi has partnered with GridCars and Rubicon to establish 127 new EV charge connectors across 76 sites since 2022. These ultra-fast public EV chargers can provide 150kW, and the country’s fastest charging station, at the Mall of Africa in Gauteng, can provide up to 200kW.
This local charging network is available to all EV drivers, regardless of vehicle model. These installations bring Audi and its partners’ investment in progressing and growing the EV charging infrastructure to about R45m over the past two years.
“The rapid expansion of EV charge connections is the next step in the demonstration of Audi’s commitment to the exciting possibilities of sustainable mobility led by electric innovation,” says Sauer.
“We understand the role that accessibility of public EV charging plays in speeding up EV adoption in the country. The future of mobility starts with EVs and moves beyond that into realms our designers and engineers are still imagining — and we want to make sure that South Africa is at the forefront of this progression.”
Audi believes battery EVs are the future of mobility. As an automotive industry, if all stakeholders play a part in investing in making the transition to electric mobility easier, more accessible and convenient, it will ultimately help grow the market in South Africa.
This can support the country’s transition into a more sustainable, cleaner and efficient future.