The company looking to rescue South Africans from high fuel prices

South Africa’s fuel levy relief has been extended until at least the end of June 2026, and while this has been welcomed, one company believes more should be done to shield motorists from skyrocketing fuel prices.

Zero Carbon Charge (Charge) welcomed the government’s extension of the short-term fuel levy relief measures, but cautioned that the intervention would not address the structural challenges facing the local transport economy.

The company owns and operates a network of off-grid, renewable electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, and has for years been a vocal advocate for local EV policy adoption.

Charge noted that despite the extension providing immediate relief to households and businesses, the measures will come at a high fiscal cost that will ultimately be reversed.

“Government’s intervention is necessary and welcome in the short term, but it highlights the reality that South Africans remain exposed to global oil price volatility,” said Joubert Roux, Co-Founder of Charge.

He added that this is not a problem that can be solved through one-time, temporary tax relief measures.

According to estimates, South Africans currently spend around R300 billion on petrol and diesel every year, with much of this tied to imported energy and leaving the economy vulnerable to external shocks.

Charge believes that the only sustainable, long-term solution is to reduce the local dependence on expensive imported fuel by transitioning to electric mobility powered by locally generated energy.

The company’s calculations indicate that the average petrol hatchback costs between 25 and 30% more than an equivalent electric car over its lifetime when factoring in fuel, maintenance, and purchase price.

“As fuel prices rise, the savings gap continues to widen,” noted Roux.

“Electric vehicles are not just an environmental choice anymore, they are increasingly the financially rational one.”

A viable alternative

According to Charge, the current cycle of fuel price shocks followed by temporary relief highlights the need for South Africa to shift the way it powers transport.

To help accelerate this transition, Charge is rolling out a national network of off-grid, solar-powered EV charging stations, which are designed to support both electric passenger vehicles and trucks.

Part of this rollout is the phased expansion of the company’s charging stations to 120 along major transport routes over time, including the soon-to-be-launched corridor sites along the N3.

These stations generate electricity on-site using a combination of solar power and battery storage, reducing motorists’ reliance on expensive imported fuel and South Africa’s limited grid supply.

Roux explained that Charge’s focus is on building infrastructure that will change the economics of the local transport industry.

“By generating energy at the point of demand, we are creating a system that is more resilient, more predictable and ultimately more affordable,” he said.

Charge said that the current position South Africa finds itself in should be seen as a clear signal that the country needs to accelerate its EV transition.

Roux added that the country cannot continue to respond to a structural problem with short-term and temporary measures.

“If we want to protect the economy from repeated financial shocks, we need to reduce our dependence on imported fuel,” he declared.

“That means scaling locally generated renewable energy for transport and doing it with urgency.”