The winners of the 2026 naamsa Accelerator Awards
The winners of the 2026 Automotive Business Council | naamsa Accelerator Awards were announced at the recently held Auto Week 2026, which took place in eThekwini, KZN.
- Industry News
- 23 October 2026
Charging time remains a worry for many South Africans considering an electric vehicle, who still see it as a disruption rather than a quick stop at a filling station. That view is starting to shift.
In August, Zero Carbon Charge announced that it would double the capacity at its two N3 hubs, taking each from 360kW to as much as 720kW. The hubs had been open for three months, and the upgrade was brought forward because more drivers were using them than the company had planned for.
A typical stop at a fast public charger runs to roughly half an hour, depending on the car. That is long enough for a grocery shop, a coffee with a friend or a school pickup.
Grant Locke, Managing Director of Volvo Car South Africa, puts it this way. “When you think about it, half an hour is not a long time. On a long journey, it passes while you’re still in the queue buying chips and waiting for everyone to come back from their bathroom break,” he says. “On shorter ones, you can still take up that time running to the ATM and making a quick call. The point being that charging your vehicle is no longer an inconvenience, it’s a quick pit stop while you go on with your day.”
The exact time depends on the car and the charger. Volvo’s ES90, built on an 800 volt system, is quoted at 10 to 80% in around 22 minutes, though that assumes a 350kW charger. The EX30 takes closer to 26 minutes on a 175kW unit, while most cars will need half an hour or more on the 75kW chargers common at shopping malls.
More charging stations are also appearing where people already spend time, such as shopping centres, office parks and restaurants. In Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban, a driver can generally find one within about 20 kilometres.
Most charging happens at home overnight, at the lowest tariff drivers will pay, so the public network serves for topping up while motorists are already out. For that reason, where chargers sit matters more than how fast they run.
Electric ownership is still not frictionless. Charger availability varies, and long trips need more planning than a tank of petrol does. However, with petrol prices rising, the idea that every charge means thirty lost minutes assumes those minutes were otherwise free, when most were already taken by an errand, a coffee or a pickup. The infrastructure is catching up faster than the perception.
The winners of the 2026 Automotive Business Council | naamsa Accelerator Awards were announced at the recently held Auto Week 2026, which took place in eThekwini, KZN.
When Cobus Coetzee (photo) accepted the opportunity to join the Morgan Group in Upington, he had to weigh up more than a new position. The move meant exchanging the West Coast’s cooler climate and seaside lifestyle for the Northern Cape’s desert heat, while taking responsibility for a multi-franchise operation spread across several premises.
With the steep rise in fuel prices since March this year leading to historic record highs following massive increases in October, the government intervention annouched this week, is widely welcomed.
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I have bad reflexes. I was once run over by a car being pushed by two guys
Woody Allen
South Africa has taken important steps to position itself within the global electric vehicle (EV) industry, but industry stakeholders argue that further policy adjustments are needed if the country is to accelerate adoption and support long-term investment in clean transport infrastructure.
As fuel prices and operating expenses continue to challenge South African businesses, alternative energy solutions are receiving greater attention.
The South African Electric Mobility Association (SAEMA) has officially launched as the country’s collective body for electric mobility, marking South Africa’s entry into a global movement of nations with dedicated representation.