The electric car revolution is here, and countries like Australia and South Africa have to decide what their stance on the matter will be. Australia has already made the decision to join in on the EV bandwagon, but South Africa still lags behind. This is a huge mistake for a variety of reasons—not least because electric cars offer so much potential in terms of reducing emissions, as well as providing economic benefits for both citizens and businesses. In this blog post we’ll explore why South Africa really shouldn’t be that far behind Australia in electric vehicle adoption.
Australia is leading the world in EV adoption
Electric vehicles (EVs) are becoming increasingly popular in Australia, with sales of new EVs increasing significantly in recent years. In 2017, Australian EV sales increased by almost 50% compared to 2016, and 2018 is on track to be another record year for EV sales.
This rapid increase in EV adoption is being driven by a number of factors, including falling battery prices, improved vehicle range and charging infrastructure, and growing consumer awareness of the benefits of EVs.
Australia’s EV market is still relatively small, accounting for just 0.2% of total new vehicle sales in 2017. However, this is expected to change rapidly in the coming years as more and more Australians switch to EVs.
There are a number of reasons why Australia is leading the world in EV adoption. Firstly, Australia has some of the highest petrol prices in the world, making EVs an attractive alternative for cost-conscious consumers. Secondly, Australia has a strong renewable energy sector which is helping to make EVs more affordable and sustainable. And finally, the Australian government offers a range of incentives for EV buyers, including tax breaks and subsidies.
With all of these factors working in its favour, it’s no wonder that Australia is leading the way on EV adoption. And with South Africa also facing high petrol prices and a strong renewable energy sector, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be following in their footsteps.
South Africa is lagging behind
Despite being home to some of the world’s largest reserves of minerals needed for batteries, South Africa is lagging behind in electric vehicle (EV) adoption. This is according to a new report from the ClimateWorks Foundation, which shows that while Australia is on track to have nearly one in five passenger vehicles be EVs by 2030, South Africa is only projected to reach 3%.
There are a number of factors contributing to this discrepancy. Firstly, petrol and diesel vehicles are still significantly cheaper than EVs in South Africa. Secondly, there is a lack of infrastructure – such as charging stations – needed to support widespread EV adoption. And finally, consumer awareness and understanding of EVs remains low.
The good news is that South Africa has set ambitious targets for EV uptake. The National Development Plan aims for 7% of passenger vehicles to be EVs by 2030, while the Integrated Resource Plan targets 1.4 million EVs on the road by 2037. But if the country is to meet these goals, much more needs to be done to increase EV affordability, availability and awareness.
The reasons for South Africa’s lack of EV uptake
There are a number of reasons for South Africa’s lack of EV uptake. Firstly, the cost of EVs is still relatively high compared to petrol and diesel cars. This is due to a number of factors, including the high cost of batteries. Secondly, there is a lack of infrastructure in South Africa for charging EVs. This is a chicken and egg problem, as people are reluctant to buy EVs if there are no charging points, but companies are unwilling to invest in charging points if there are few EVs on the roads. Thirdly, range anxiety is still a major concern for many drivers. Electric cars can still only travel for a limited distance before needing to be recharged, which means that long journeys are not possible without planning ahead. Finally, there is a general lack of awareness about EVs among the South African public. Many people are still unfamiliar with how they work and what their benefits are.