The definition of true fanaticism is this: redoubling our efforts when our aim is forgotten. As we slide into the 2020s, we are reaching new heights of asinine stupidity, the uttering of cosy illusions and comforting half-truths.

The blame for all this is to be laid at the door of Internet journalists. Well, perhaps ‘Internet writers’, to avoid insulting journalists. Some of the articles are excellent. Some of the writers (such as Marianne Thamm) are excellent.

But some of the writers seem to obtain their research data from research conducted using some of the Transkei’s most well-known export product. So, let’s begin: The writers will have us believe that electric cars are going to constitute all car sales in the UK by 2030. The implication is that electric cars will assist with climate change and that most countries will be at least 60% electric car by 2030. There is a discussion about how apartment block owners will have to install charging stations for tenants’ cars in parking garages and that there will be places where you can charge your car, either fast-charge or slow-charge. They record that Norway is on its way to being an electric vehicle- (EV-) only society by 2025. All this is, I think, a way to encourage South Africans to buy EVs.

This idea is far removed from reality. Let’s try a thought experiment: Imagine South Africa has only one power station, a big coal-fired station. Imagine South Africa has only one oil refinery, a big refinery. So, day and night, coal is delivered to the power station, which supplies the South African grid with electricity. Day and night, crude oil is delivered to the refinery, which produces diesel and petrol (and other stuff) that are shipped to fuel stations all around South Africa. If the country has a big uptake on EVs, then the energy use in vehicle transport, currently derived from oil, will have to be supplied by the national grid.

Now, South Africa uses about 400 000 barrels of petrol daily. For electricity, the energy content in one barrel is 1 700 kWh. If half of South Africa’s vehicle transport changed to EVs, then we would need another power station the size of, say, Duhva (3 600 MW) to supply enough energy to charge them, assuming that vehicle use doesn’t change much.

It is a simple fact that those of us who dwell in houses with off-street parking can charge our EV at home. If we use a charger which uses the same power as a large geyser, then all will be well. However, if many houses opt for this, there is the possibility of overloading the local minisub. A great number of dwellings do not have off-street parking. For these, a visit to a charging station will be required. For an apartment block to equip parking bays with chargers is very fanciful. The petrol car owners will not accept a levy from the body corporate in this regard and fire issues may require additional expenses.

If the uptake on EVs requires more energy, from where is this to come? Gas turbines would be the answer but, given that government takes 60c out of every rand charged for petrol, how will government react to this loss of income? It would be impossible for them to tax electricity but perhaps they would tax EV licences.

Finally – Norway, the shining example of EV uptake. Yes, they have done well. They did this by removing the 25% VAT on imported EVs, eliminated toll charges for EVs, granted access by EVs to bus lanes and granted them free parking. Further, Norway has more hydropower resources than they could use. Norway has a population about one-tenth South Africa’s and is about the size of the Northern Cape province. So, it’s hardly comparing apples with apples.

I don’t think EVs are going to take off in South Africa in a big way anytime soon. Not in their present form and, perhaps, never.