South African National Roads Agency (Sanral) will this month crisscross the country to consult stakeholders on proposed policy changes to enable electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along key national highways.
To this end, Sanral has laid out its plans to facilitate the integration of new energy vehicle (NEV) charging facilities into existing and new infrastructure along the country’s highways.
In the draft proposal, the state-owned entity said it supports — and may facilitate — the development of EV charging infrastructure, including public charging stations and battery swapping or switching facilities, at appropriate rest and service facilities (RSFs) along the national road network. This is part of its strategy to enable alternative fuels and sustainable transport.
The entity left the door open for it to elect to “participate in or structure such infrastructure through a particular commercial or delivery model, including the establishment of a special purpose vehicle or other public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement”.
There are three primary speed levels for electric car chargers. The first is typically used for overnight charging at homes and is not recommended for a public charging station. The second level offers a faster charge rate than a level 1 and must be professionally installed into the electric circuit. Commonly found in residential, workplace and public charging stations, it is the most used solution, according to Sanral.
The third level charges at higher power levels than level 1 or level 2 and can charge an EV to 80% capacity in just 20-60 minutes, depending on the vehicle’s battery capacity.
Sanral said level 3 chargers are commonly found along highways and in urban areas for longer trips or quick top-ups and are the most expensive but preferred options for urban areas.
Proposed levy
The company has also proposed charging a levy on EV charging stations, a proposal that has already drawn criticism.
“Recognising global trends to move away from the use of fossil fuels and to promote sustainable transport, Sanral will aim to provide adequate infrastructure to support a sustainable environment,” the Sanral draft amendments read.
“While Sanral has no control over the continued use of petrol and diesel cars and the fact that currently the import costs of NEVs are regarded by the market as extremely high and unaffordable, Sanral may, by establishing a network of NEV facilities, have a positive effect on NEV confidence in South Africa, which will further promote public and private partnerships.”
Zero Carbon Charge (Charge) last month said it was on schedule to complete construction of the next two off-grid EV charging station developments: Charge N3 Roadside and Charge N3 Tugela.
Charge, founded in 2022 to roll out EV charging facilities in South Africa, estimates that home charging is expected to represent 50% of all charging, leaving 50% of the charging market as public charging.
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