Data gathered by vehicle-tracking and fleet-intelligence company Netstar has shown it’s possible to drive from Cape Town to Johannesburg in an electric vehicle (EV), in around 20 hours.
A team led by motoring journalists Justus Visagie and Ernest Page set a new record for South African cross-country travel by a battery-electric vehicle, in a race against the clock between the two cities.
At 7pm on 28 June, the team set out from a BMW dealership in Cape Town on Herzog Boulevard, and arrived at BMW in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, in 20 hours, 17 minutes and 10 seconds – a new record for a battery-electric vehicle, according to BMW.
The team achieved a total driving time of 14h56m21s for the journey, completed in seven legs, driving a BMW iX battery-electric vehicle. The car maintained an average speed of 94km/h.
Various studies conducted by the automobile sector show the biggest obstacles hindering South Africans from investing in EVs are range anxiety, government’s slow policy framework and the high costs of EVs.
However, as more companies invest in charging infrastructure, range anxiety is no longer expected to be an issue.
According to charging infrastructure mapping website PlugShare, the local public charging network currently consists of 250 charging stations at different parts of the country, along the highways.
Netstar was the tracking and timing partner for the initiative, which set out to establish a new record time for driving an electric vehicle between SA’s two major cities.
“This journey has provided interesting insights for long-distance, electric-vehicle travel in South Africa,” says Netstar executive: sales Nicky Sheridan.
“Justus, Ernest and the team have shown what current electric vehicles can achieve – even on the ‘up journey’ from the coast to 1 700m altitude in Johannesburg in the middle of winter.”
The team stopped to charge on six occasions, at charging stations in Worcester, Laingsburg, Beaufort West, Richmond, Colesberg and Bloemfontein. In total, the vehicle spent 5 hours 33 min and 19 seconds replenishing its battery at the charging stations.
According to Sheridan, as EV technology and road infrastructure for supporting the vehicles evolve, South African car buyers will start to consider their electric vehicle options when it comes to buying their next car.
SA had a total of 1 559 EV units at the beginning of 2022, according to the annual International Energy Agency Global Electric Vehicle Outlook report for 2022.
“The journey from Cape Town to Joburg is the benchmark long road trip that any South African is likely to make,” adds Sheridan. “The data confirms it is now possible to complete that journey in around 20 hours, using battery-electric technology, even allowing for stops, recharging and driver changes.”
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