The EVs On Display Event Highlights The Progress Made In South Africa’s Electric Mobility Sector - CleanTechnica

The article from CleanTechnica highlights the gradual progress of South Africa’s electric vehicle (EV) sector, emphasizing the challenges and improvements over the past several years. Around six to seven years ago, the author experienced firsthand the difficulty of accessing electric vehicles in Johannesburg, despite positive attitudes from companies toward EV rentals. At that time, the availability of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for rental or lease was extremely limited due to low market penetration, early technical issues with models like the Nissan Leaf, and insufficient charging infrastructure. BMW South Africa was one of the few companies actively promoting EVs, with its i3 model becoming the top-selling electric vehicle in the country for a period. Several factors have contributed to the slow adoption of BEVs in South Africa, including a limited variety of models available, high import duties and taxes on electric vehicles (25% customs duty compared to 18% for petrol/diesel vehicles), and overall market conditions. Despite these challenges, the range of BEVs offered in South Africa