South Africa’s first electric minibus taxi model, eKamva, has been launched by a consortium led by GoMetro, which is also rolling out charging infrastructure.
Why it matters: Most South Africans rely on informal minibus taxis as their main mode of transport. Because the country is an importer of fuel, the depreciation of the local currency, combined with oil price volatility, has significantly pushed up road transport costs and the typical South African commuter now spends up to 40% of their income on getting around.
Further, the transportation sector is the second-largest contributor to South Africa’s greenhouse gas emissions. The country is a laggard in the shift to zero-emission vehicles — in 2023, just 0.3% of all new cars sold were fully electric or plug-in hybrids, versus the global average of 18%. Electrifying the sizeable minibus taxi industry — which consumes 2 billion tonnes of fuel a year — would help it catch up.
The latest: The consortium behind eKamva also includes Powerfleet (formerly MiX Telematics), and Stellenbosch University, among others.
The group is also launching a ‘flx EV’ app that will let taxi owners manage their fleets, see each vehicle’s status, and prepay for charging. It’ll also direct drivers to their closest charging hub.
“Most taxis spend up to three hours a day between morning and evening peak hours at the ranks we have analysed — more than sufficient time to fast-charge an eKamva,” says project lead Rudi Kriel.
Operators and drivers will benefit from the fact that EVs tend to break down less than traditional models and are cheaper to run, Kriel says, adding that they also reduce air pollution and thus the burden on the healthcare sector.
The 15-seater eKamva has a range of more than 200km and charges in 75 minutes via a 60kW DC charger. It delivers an estimated 40-70% saving on running costs, per GoMetro.
The consortium plans to ultimately build or assemble the taxis in South Africa, though it hasn’t decided where yet.
Yes, but: South Africa’s fragile and coal-reliant electricity grid poses challenges, despite recent improvements.
“The informal taxi sector must transform to EVs, but little is known about their energy requirements,” says professor Thinus Booysen, research chair in the Internet of Things at Stellenbosch University and leader of the team of testing experts.
“This unknown is overshadowed by our energy scarcity and coal dependence on the electricity supply side,” Booysen adds. “This collaborative project will ensure we are prepared for and carefully manage this exciting transition.”
For the time being, South Africa’s electricity system remains dominated by coal, meaning the shift to EVs will do little to reduce economy-wide emissions. However, the share of renewables is steadily increasing thanks to policy reforms, a flight to rooftop solar amid last year’s record power cuts, and steep reductions in the cost of wind and solar technologies, among other factors.
Tags: eKamva, Electric minibus taxi, Electric vehicles
