Audi South Africa Expands Charging Community With Addition Of 150kW DC Quick Chargers In Key Nationwide Places

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South Africa’s EV market continues to be fairly small, however it’s now beginning to present indicators of progress. Taking a look at the latest full-year knowledge, the market shares for plug-in hybrid, BEV, and plug-less hybrids had been 0.06%, 0.17%, and 1.2% respectively. These electrified autos had a mixed market share of 1.5% of the South African new car gross sales market. Taking a look at Q1 2024 and evaluating it with Q1 2023, gross sales of plug-in hybrids appear to point out indicators of restoration. 138 plug-in hybrids had been offered in Q1 2024, in contrast with simply 25 in Q1 2023.

One of many key enablers for exciting adoption of plug-in electrical autos is the supply of public charging infrastructure. Because of this Audi, in collaboration with companions corresponding to Rubicon, is contributing to the expansion of electrical car charging infrastructure in South Africa.

Audi has been investing into public infrastructure for some time now and has now introduced its newest funding. That is Audi’s third funding spherical in charging infrastructure in South Africa. Audi South Africa says the corporate is once more enjoying a serious position in persevering with to arrange South Africa for a way forward for widescale electrical mobility. Following in depth investments in 2022 and 2023. — throughout which period Audi and its strategic companions GridCars and Rubicon added greater than 120 DC and AC public charging factors to the nationwide grid — the model has as soon as once more partnered with Rubicon to put in six 150 kW DC quick public chargers in handy places nationwide. This marks the third wave of Audi South Africa’s charging community funding and brings the full spend to greater than R50 million.

The six new chargers, every providing two charging factors that may provide expenses concurrently, are positioned in key places alongside South Africa’s three essential highway arteries — the N1, N2, and N3 highways. These chargers will serve each commuters dwelling close by in addition to these motorists venturing additional afield on their holidays and work journeys. And customers gained’t need to surprise the right way to occupy their time whereas their autos are plugged in — a 150kW quick charger can prime up a mean Audi e-tron battery from 5% to 80% in half-hour or much less.

Listed below are the places of the brand new 150kW quick chargers:

“This third wave of funding into the general public charging community in South Africa highlights as soon as once more our dedication to electrical mobility,” says Sascha Sauer, head of Audi South Africa. “We imagine EVs signify the way forward for our model, each globally in addition to domestically, and we’re subsequently enjoying our half in making electrical mobility a handy, easy actuality for an increasing number of South Africans.”

In keeping with Rubicon’s Power and E-mobility Director, Greg Blandford, “Rubicon is proud to have collaborated with Audi South Africa on the set up of six cutting-edge Wallbox Supernova 150kW DC chargers. These chargers characteristic pioneering European know-how and notably, stand among the many first of their type to be put in worldwide. This marks a serious achievement for each Rubicon and Audi SA.”

It’s nice to see that South Africa’s electrical car charging community is rising and that extra of the sooner DC chargers (150kW and above) are actually being deployed in South Africa. It will permit drivers to have a extra seamless driving expertise round South Africa. Under is a video of 1 such drive, even with an EV with a comparatively small battery, all enabled by a few of these chargers from Audi and companions.

Photographs courtesy of Audi South Africa