Eskom Launches Pilot Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure To Prepare For Electrification Of Vehicle Fleet

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South Africa’s national electric utility company, Eskom, has officially launched its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure at the Eskom Academy of Learning (EAL) in Midrand, Gauteng. Eskom says this milestone marks a significant step in Eskom Distribution’s commitment to supporting the growth of the e-mobility sector in South Africa and contributing to the country’s broader goals of reducing carbon emissions.

Eskom has about 12,000 vehicles in its fleet. 10,000 of them are under the Distribution Division. This pilot is one of the first steps towards electrifying this fleet. The pilot project includes the procurement of 20 electric vehicles ranging from light delivery vehicles to light trucks for operational use. The pilot project involves the installation of 10 charging stations at five Eskom sites across the country. The other sites are Brackenfell in Cape Town, Mkondeni in Pietermaritzburg, Tlhabane Customer Network Centre (CNC) in Rustenburg, and Marathon CNC in Mbombela. These sites will serve as the foundation for Eskom Distribution’s long-term strategy to electrify its entire fleet by 2040.

“We continue to focus on our long-term strategy to deliver a competitive, sustainable, and future-proof Eskom to ensure energy security, growth, and long-term sustainability for the benefit of South Africa and sub-Saharan Africa. By investing in eMobility and the charging infrastructure needed for electric vehicles, we are not only reducing our carbon footprint but also stimulating the local economy and creating new opportunities for growth,” said Gabriel Kgabo, General Manager in the Office of the Eskom Group Executive for Distribution.

Kgabo also highlighted Eskom’s support of the government to align South Africa with the global EV ecosystem market. Key initiatives include the EV White Paper released by the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (DTIC) in December 2023 and the incentives announced by National Treasury to encourage the local production of EVs from 2026.

The newly installed charging stations, in partnership with GridCars, include direct current (DC) fast chargers (60 kW) and dual alternating current (AC) chargers (22 kW), optimally sized to cater for overnight charging of fleet vehicles and daytime workplace charging for employees and visitors. This initiative will serve as a blueprint for the future rollout of electric vehicles across Eskom’s entire fleet. It is one of the levers that will steer the organisation towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and will also contribute to stimulating the local EV market.

Eskom says the successful launch of this infrastructure is a result of the dedicated efforts of the project team within Eskom. Their work is laying the groundwork for a future where electric vehicles play a central role in South Africa’s transportation landscape.

Sales of electric vehicles are starting to show some good traction in South Africa. In the first 6 months of this year, 749 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were sold in South Africa. A total of 931 BEVs were sold in the whole of 2023, meaning that the total number of BEVs sold in the first six months of 2024 was 80% of the total for the whole of the previous year! This is very encouraging, as sales of BEVs have been quite slow in South Africa over the past 5 years or so. The slow sales of BEVs can be attributed to several reasons, including:

A limited number of models available in South Africa compared to similar markets. However, the range of BEVs offered in South Africa is improving, which gives us hope for the future.
High import duties and taxes applicable to electric vehicles in South Africa. Petrol and diesel vehicles imported from the EU into South Africa have a customs duty of 18%, while for electric vehicles it is 25%. There are also the Ad Valorem Customs Excise Duties and VAT.

As sales of EVs grow, it’s good to hear about all these developments on the charging infrastructure side. It’s great to see Eskom getting in on the action, making serious moves to support its own electrification vision.