By June this year, South Africans in the North West can use the country’s first renewable energy charging station for electric vehicles (EVs), as Zero Carbon Charge forges ahead with its plans. Picture: Supplied
Zero Carbon Charge (ZCC), the company that plans on building a network of renewable energy charging stations across South Africa, said it will meet its June deadline for the Wolmaransstad site in the North West province.
Which means by June this year, South Africans in the North West can top up their batteries at the futuristic service station, without the need for power from Eskom.
The Wolmaransstad site is one of 120 ZCC plans to build throughout the country, spaced at 150-kilometre intervals.
ZCC spokesperson Anneke Burns confirmed that all its plans were on track.
“The custom charging equipment has been procured, and we are set to meet our target of June 2024, with more sites starting construction in the next few months,” Burns said.
This comes as the world and country make significant strides in the world of EV motoring.
The ZCC charging stations generate electricity on-site using solar PV and store energy in lithium iron phosphate batteries, with generators fuelled by hydrotreated vegetable oil as a backup power source.
Motorists can utilise the fast-charging service with the 720 DC ultra-fast charge points for EVs and the 240 AC charge points for plug-in hybrids.
The company said EV owners would be able to charge their cars in 20 minutes.
Each Zero Carbon Charge station will include a convenience store and coffee shop.
Besides using renewable energy, the company built a business model that's inclusive of rural landowners in the EV economy by giving them a portion of profits for the land leased out to ZCC.
“Zero Carbon Charge’s total investment, worth R1.8 billion, will boost South Africa’s rural economies by providing local jobs and an additional revenue stream for farmers.
“Landowners will earn 5% of the revenue generated from vehicle charging on their land, while a percentage of revenue will also be reinvested in local socio-economic development initiatives,” ZCC said.
Zero Carbon Charge aims to have all 120 charging stations operational by 2025.
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