Officials announce massive initiative that will be game-changer for EV drivers: 'A transformational step'

Major clean tech improvements are coming for Johannesburg. 

City Power, the city's energy utility, announced that it will soon be rolling out a batch of electric vehicle charging stations as well as a fleet of EVs. 

Altogether, this EV Programme is set to reduce costs and improve the sustainability of the city's power operations, MyBroadband reported.

In a statement, City Power explained that these new EVs will replace the polluting diesel-powered vehicles that it uses for technical operations. 

These include light maintenance vehicles to heavy-duty trucks, all of which will now run on clean electricity rather than dirty fuels.

"The initiative forms part of City Power's ambitious 10-point Energy Plan, which is a strategic roadmap to diversify the city's energy mix, improve resilience, and reduce carbon emissions," City Power said. "The EV Programme represents a central pillar of this plan."

To service the EVs, the city is also deploying a city-wide charging infrastructure, which will include depots, public roads, and operational sites. It will also install chargers in public areas and townships in order to encourage wider EV adoption.

Another exciting aspect of the program is the battery exchange. In order to reduce battery-charging delays, the fleet will be able to swap out depleted EV batteries for fully charged ones. This will allow them to continue service, keeping maintenance times reliable in busy areas.

"This EV rollout is more than just a technology upgrade, it's a transformational step towards reimagining how Johannesburg moves," said Tshifularo Mashava, City Power's CEO. 

"It embodies our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and economic development. The arrival of our charging stations is proof that implementation is not a distant dream — it is underway."

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The EV Programme is part of what MyBroadband described as "a broader strategy to future-proof the Johannesburg economy." 

If companies and consumers both increase their adoption of electric vehicles, South Africa's automakers will be further incentivized to focus on producing more EVs — something that could prove crucial, considering the EU is set to ban imports of diesel-fueled vehicles.

"With South Africa exporting over 70% of its locally manufactured light vehicles to the EU and UK, failing to adapt could have devastating consequences for our economy," City Power stated.

The company is also planning to power its EV charger networks with solar power, further driving down costs while simultaneously reducing pollution even more.

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