The global electric vehicle (EV) industry has experienced significant growth over the past year. This has helped fuel progress towards a cleaner transport sector. While the number of EVs on the road is still small compared to that of petrol or diesel driven vehicles, the progress made is promising. Another benefit of EVs is their potential to be a source of energy storage, complementing other energy technologies such as batteries and pumped storage hydropower. This may prove particularly valuable should vehicle charging times be scheduled to match times of excess energy supply from the national grid.
It will be interesting to witness how South Africa’s own EV industry unfolds. Currently, the country has a heavy reliance on a road-based infrastructure network, with low levels of EVs sold so far (see article here). Read the full story on the growth in EVs globally over the past year here.