ENERGY & THE ENVIRONMENT
BY FIONA WAKELIN
The time is right to invest in
Electromobility T
he global move towards electric mobility has been a result of three major shifts – the volatility of the oil price, the COP agreements regarding carbon emission reduction commitments and overall pollution concerns. And while South Africa does not yet have the policy framework in place for the industry to grow, if battery prices continue to fall the price of electric vehicles (EVs) will become competitive in the country. This will be a natural progression for the automotive sector which is a key contributor to the GDP. “For South Africa, a thriving EV market supported by the robust local manufacturing capacity, holds the promise of economic growth and job creation in South Africa. It will also counteract the inevitable decline in demand
for internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles globally,” says Khanyiselo Kumalo, Energy Analyst at GreenCape.
Electromobility is one of a suite of alternatives to the fossil-fuel based nonrenewable power that is polluting the environment
The EV market brings with it a number of possible opportunities: • Lithium iron batteries • Passenger vehicles • Electric busses “For SA, a thriving EV market supported by local manufacturing holds the promise of economic growth and job creation. It will also counteract the inevitable decline
56 | Public Sector Leaders | June 2021
in demand for ICE vehicles globally.” - Green Cape By mid-2021 the sales for electric vehicles reached about 10 million globally with China responsible for 40% of the purchases and in May Chinese tech giant Baidu became the first company to implement a paid driverless taxi service. Things are moving fast in this tech/electromobility space. For South Africa the shift to EVs would have a triple benefit to the environment, the economy and motorists themselves and to get the policy framework developed, Minister of Trade Industry and Competition, Hon. Ebrahim Patel is in discussions with the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa). BC (before Covid) South Africa’s local vehicle manufacturing industry was
