Electric trucks were recently recharged for the first time in South Africa using solar and battery power that is completely independent of the national electricity grid.
By Marise Schoonraad
The company Zero Carbon Charge (Charge), based in Wolmaransstad, has developed the country’s first electric truck recharging station that operates entirely off-grid and recently demonstrated the simultaneous recharging of two electric trucks at its facility.
The vehicles, a SANY FR1601 8-ton 4×2 and a SANY EV490 6×4, demonstrate that electric heavy-duty vehicles can operate reliably on clean energy, the company said in a media statement.
Zero Carbon Charge is the first company in South Africa to develop a network of truck charging stations powered exclusively by solar and battery energy.
“This is a major milestone, not only for Charge, but for South Africa,” said Joubert Roux, co-founder and chair of the company.
According to Roux, this marks the beginning of the future of “green” transport and logistics in South Africa. He believes electric trucks will become a reality sooner than electric passenger vehicles.
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