Renewable energy offgrid charging infrastructure company Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) hosted industry organisation naamsa | The Automotive Business Council's New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Road Trip 2025 event at its flagship offgrid, solar-powered ultrafast electric vehicle (EV) charging station, in Wolmaransstad, North West, on September 26.

During the event, CHARGE offered free charging to all participants and highlighted its role in raising awareness of NEVs nationwide.

This also allowed CHARGE to demonstrate the strength of its technology by successfully charging six NEVs simultaneously and making full use of its three 480 kW chargers and six direct current dispensers.

The event was the first visit from naamsa and served to officially recognise CHARGE as a fully offgrid, solar-powered EV charging destination during the NEV awareness road trip, says CHARGE founder and executive chairperson Joubert Roux.

Further, the line-up of vehicles reflected the growing diversity of the NEV market, with models such as the Volvo EX90, Volvo EX30 Cross Country, BMW Mini SE, Leap Motor B10 BEV, Chery Tiggo 7 PHEV, BYD Shark, GWM H6 GT PHEV, and Lexus NX450+ all being charged side by side, he says.

IT services and management consulting company Accenture was a co-organiser of the NEV road trip.

“The six NEVs were charged by clean energy generated from solar panels without [State-owned] Eskom's power. The future of EV driving in South Africa will be using renewable energy to charge.

“Zero Carbon Charge is the first to be able to do this, with 120 more stations planned for South Africa,” says Accenture Automotive and e-Mobility principal director Greg Cress.

A year after opening, six NEVs were charged concurrently without any problems; all powered only by solar PV. This proves that the future of EV charging lies in microgrids as a future-proof way to deliver reliable clean energy for mobility, concurs Roux.

Further, CHARGE aims to expand its network. The N3 and N1 national highway charging stations are set to begin development following the finalisation of development finance institution Development Bank of Southern Africa financing.

CHARGE will be ready to welcome NEV drivers nationwide to the future of offgrid, renewables-powered charging, he says.