The N3 between Johannesburg and Durban is one of the busiest roads in South Africa, and despite there being several fuel stations along the route, electric car chargers are spaced quite far apart, for now.
To alleviate some of the range fears electric vehicle (EV) drivers may experience when going on holiday, South African renewable energy-powered, off-grid EV charging company Zero Carbon Charge (Charge) is electrifying the route further.
Charge announced in February that it was progressing well with its construction of two new sites along the N3, unlocking the route for more EV drivers.
“This milestone sends an unmistakable signal: EV infrastructure in South Africa is moving — and moving fast,” noted Joubert Roux, the company’s co-founder.
“With the N3 now unlocking for electric travel, the next priority is the N1, extending reliable, off-grid, ultra-fast charging along the country’s most critical long-distance routes.”
Charge, which posts regular updates regarding the progress of its projects, recently announced the arrival of the solar panels that will be used at its new N3 sites, while the chargers themselves are still on their way.
The charging stations, which are set to be operational by May, will also be able to accommodate electric trucks, something the company proved can be done with a demonstration earlier this year.
Charge demonstrated that off-grid charging can serve heavy-duty freight and everyday motorists at the same time by charging two electric trucks and four passenger EVs simultaneously at its Wolmaransstad station.
Preparing to accommodate trucks at the new charging stations plays directly into Charge’s latest agreement, which sees it partner with Zimi Charge (Zimi), a local electric freight charging provider.
The two parties announced a three-year agreement to roll out electric freight operations along the N3, in hopes of accelerating South Africa’s adoption of EV logistics.
A new era for trucking
The two off-grid charging stations – Charge N3 Tugela in KwaZulu-Natal and Charge N3 Roadside in the Free State – will be crucial to Zimi’s electric delivery fleet rollout along one of South Africa’s most important freight corridors.
Each of these sites will support peak charging of over 300kW with six fast-charging connectors capable of delivering up to 600A.
In a bid to protect fleet operators from rising electricity costs and volatile fuel prices, the stations will be completely off-grid, generating power on-site through renewable sources like solar cells.
Michael Maas, Zimi CEO, said the partnership represents an important step toward scaling electric logistics in South Africa.
“Reliable, always-on charging infrastructure is essential for fleet electrification,” he said.
“Working with Charge holdings allows us to deploy electric delivery vehicles on one of the country’s busiest freight routes while ensuring predictable charging access and operational uptime.”
Andries Malherbe, co-founder and Director of Charge, added that the collaboration demonstrates how renewable charging infrastructure can support long-distance electric freight.
“This is true electrification of long-distance logistics,” he declared.
“By partnering with Zimi, we are demonstrating how off-grid renewable charging infrastructure can support reliable, long-distance logistics while strengthening South Africa’s energy resilience.”
Malherbe added that by working with Zimi’s logistics partners, Charge can ensure that its infrastructure is supported by consistent commercial fleet demand, as well as the growing passenger EV market.
“This strengthens the long-term viability of the charging network while helping accelerate the shift to cleaner transport along one of the country’s most important trade corridors,” Malherbe added.
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