Electric car grid to be built for SA drivers

THE South African units of BMW and Nissan will build a national grid for electric and hybrid cars to expand sales of vehicles that could reduce pollution in Africa’s top car market.

The two companies will roll out fast-charging stations from now until 2017 which BMW and Nissan cars can use to power up.

Nissan introduced its all-electric Leaf in South Africa in 2013, while BMW launched its i3 and i8 models in March. Consumers would charge all-electric cars such as the Leaf by plugging into an outlet, while hybrid versions such as BMW’s i8 also have a petrol engine.

The firms said although South Africa was experiencing severe power supply shortages, their plans would not be affected.

“The companies are also exploring renewable energy sources to power their charging grid,” Nissan spokeswoman Veralda Schmidt said.

Battery-powered cars have failed to live up to their initial hype globally, with drivers put off by the slow rollout of recharging stations, and limited range – despite generous sales incentives in some markets.

Because electric cars cost more than a conventional combustion engine, electric vehicles have struggled to gain widespread acceptance among price-sensitive customers, particularly if the same model is available more cheaply with a more conventional powertrain.

Some electric cars require lengthy charging, reducing their attractiveness for customers planning to drive longer distances frequently.

BMW and Nissan said their national network of stations would also include smaller vehicle chargers using alternating current in some regions.

“In order for the introduction and expansion of electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to be successful in this market, we need to work together,” BMW SA managing director Tim Abbott said.

Meanwhile, German carmaker Daimler has announced that it is to make software from web services company Baidu available in its Chinese Mercedes-Benz cars as part of a trend of deepening ties between carmakers and consumer technology companies.

The cars will include software that allows users to access content from their smartphones via their dashboards, like music and internet services. – Reuters