GWM’s Ora 5 battery-electric vehicle Much has been written about how miserable electric vehicle sales have been in South Africa. Car makers evidently think that is about to change. At the Festival of Motoring at Kyalami from 28-30 August, at least 19 battery-electric models were on display, several still without confirmed pricing. Only one of…
The Electric Mission’s Hiten Parmar South Africa has still not crossed 1% of new vehicle sales going to electric vehicles, well short of the 5% mark at which adoption typically accelerates, The Electric Mission executive director Hiten Parmar told TechCentral’s Watts & Wheels with Wills. Parmar, who heads the non-profit advocacy body and co-founded the…
PHEVs are proving popular in South Africa, but consumers are still shunning full EVs One in every 17 new vehicles sold in South Africa is now electrified, according to automotive industry body Naamsa. But only one in 123 is fully electric. Naamsa reported 3 045 new-energy vehicle sales in June, a 104.2% increase on the same…
TechCentral is proud to present the first episode of Watts & Wheels with Wills, our new interview show about electric vehicles and the fast-changing world of e-mobility in South Africa. In the debut episode, host William Kelly speaks to John Ford, sales manager at Aeversa, a fleet-focused electrification specialist helping some of South Africa’s biggest…
The Chery Tiggo 4 Cross HEV. (Image source: Chery) Chery plans to manufacture new energy vehicles (NEVs) in South Africa, as part of a broader localisation strategy centred on its newly-acquired Rosslyn manufacturing plant. This positions SA as the Chinese car maker’s African manufacturing, research and development (R&D), and export hub, it says. In an…
British luxury automaker Bentley has officially confirmed the first battery-electric vehicle (EV) in its storied history. The Volkswagen-owned brand released an initial teaser image of the upcoming model, christened the Bentley Torcal, and announced that the vehicle will make its full global debut in London on September 23rd. Read: Bandwidth Blog & Smile 90.4FM Tech…
Spiro, one of Africa’s leading electric vehicle (EV) and clean energy infrastructure platform, has announced the successful completion of its latest funding round, raising $270 million to support the expansion of its e-mobility and energy ecosystem across the continent. The milestone follows the closure of a $55 million investment from NewTrails Capital, a Chinese growth-stage…
Kampala, Uganda — African electric mobility company Spiro has secured a landmark $215 million equity investment to accelerate the expansion of its electric vehicle (EV) and battery-swapping infrastructure across the continent, positioning the company among Africa’s leading clean energy and transport platforms. The funding round attracted support from major institutional investors, including Impact Fund Denmark…
Chery sub-brand iCaur introduces two new derivatives of the V23 in South Africa. Chery South Africa’s sub-brand iCaur has unveiled the latest additions to the local market’s electric SUV segment. The iCaur V23 is a retro-styled electric SUV available in two derivatives: the 2WD and AWD, according to a statement. The new offerings expand the…
Following its groundbreaking commitment to develop an all-electric vehicle, a massive pivot from previous corporate declarations, Ferrari has officially pulled back the curtain on the Ferrari Luce. While the vehicle’s minimalist, tactile cabin previously debuted as a standalone concept, seeing the interior integrated into a fully realized production prototype shifts the narrative entirely. What once…
