MOTORING NEWS - South Africa’s first electric vehicle road trip (EVRT) powered by ACDC Dynamics and driven by the Department of Transport, Gauteng Provincial Government, and African Alliance for Energy Productivity, is finally ready to prove that it is possible to drive across the country without a single drop of petrol.
The latest BMW i3, Nissan LEAF and Jaguar I-PACE left the Sun Arena at Time Square on 3 October, as the road-trippers headed to Bloemfontein, followed by Gariep Dam, Graaff-Reinet, Port Elizabeth, Knysna, Worcester and finally Cape Town.
“We know that the technology is ready, and that’s what events this are here to show. We hope that this is the start of many initiatives geared towards driving the adoption of all forms of smarter mobility, including electric vehicles, in South Africa,” says Ben Pullen, CEO of Generation.e - the company bringing the EVRT Africa to the country. “It is for this reason that we are also rolling out electric vehicle charging stations powered by ACDC Dynamics at stops along the way.”
“Although there are many ways that government can support the electric vehicle ecosystem in South Africa, such as lowering import tax costs and enabling infrastructure, it is vital to increase public awareness and education in order to inspire the shift towards smarter mobility,” he adds.
Therefore, we have included ways that the public can experience the world of electric vehicles for themselves during the road trip, says Pullen.
Apart from the EVRT Africa launch, Pullen says the public can:
Test drive a BMWi3, Nissan LEAF or Jaguar I-PACE at Boardwalk Hotel, Port Elizabeth on 5 October at 16:30 - 19:00.
Learn about the latest innovations in electric mobility by taking a tour of the uYilo eMobility Programme at Nelson Mandela University on 7 October from 08:30 - 11:30.
Witness the power of electric vehicles as the road trippers take part in a sun rise Regeneration Challenge at Simola Hill on 8 October from 05:30 - 06:30.
Celebrate the launch of another ACDC Dynamics charging station and enjoy test driving experiences at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town on 9 October from 11:00 - 16:00.
“To end off the EVRT Africa powered by ACDC Dynamics in style, join us at the grand finale at the Silo District at V&A Waterfront on 10 October from 15:30 - 19:30,” says Pullen.
“The public will have the opportunity to celebrate with us, be privy to speeches highlighting the electric vehicle road trip experience and what needs to be done to spark the adoption of smarter mobility in South Africa, as well as test drive the electric vehicles.”
“We look forward to igniting an electric future in South Africa and hope to meet many others along the way who are keen to be inspired about bringing the world of smarter mobility to life in the country,” he says.
To access any of the above activations, please follow the link to register: https://www.evrtafrica.com/whatson
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