EV road-tripping? Careful planning makes it possible

Audi has added 43 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations to the country’s network.

This comes after the signing last month of a secondary partnership with Rubicon Energy.

Along with the 300 plus chargers ranging from 11 kW to 150 kW set up by GridCars with the support of the Four Rings, Jaguar and BMW, the question of whether emissions-free road tripping across the country can be undertaken has both yes’s and no’s.

Despite the rollout of EVs intensifying and pressure on government to introduce incentives and reduce tax that would decrease the price of electric vehicles mounting, road tripping across the country without relying on petrol or diesel is a possibility, but with due care being advised.

Can it be done?

A quick glimpse at the number of GridCars chargers available along the country’s road explains the dilemma.

While possible to drive from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban and Gqeberha with an electric vehicle, the biggest caveat that will have to be endured is sticking to the main highways were the strategically placed chargers are located.

As an example, travelling down the N1 from the Big Smoke to the Mother City comes with a choice of no less than 12 chargers ranging from 22 kW to 80 kW.

ALSO READ: Audi and Rubicon partnership sparks more EV chargers

That in itself presents a problem of its own as extra time will have to be added to one’s journey regardless of the remaining range still available.

With the Northern Cape being devoid of charging stations at present and only a handful being located in Limpopo, travelling in silence will have to be restricted to the mentioned three provinces, as well as the Free State, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal.

Plugged-in destinations

The upshot though is that travelling along the Garden Route from Gqeberha to Cape Town remains a possibly as both Direct Current and Alternative Current charging stations are situated along the N2.

Again though, these vary in outputs from as low as 11 kW to a maximum of 150 kW that will require a waiting time of less than an hour.

A likely possibility, but one that will require very careful planning, is heading up the West Coast to Langebaan along the R27 where two 60 kW chargers are found in the town itself, and a bit further on at Vredenburg.

Coastal driving is also the order of the day from Durban to East London that will have to be limited to the N2 and again, require careful going as no charging points are present between the 60 kW charger located at the Vincent Park shopping centre and the similar capacity unit in Kokstad.

Down the N3 to Durban, eight charging points have been availed, though those willing to take a chance can embark on the 91 km stretch of R712 from Harrismith passed the Golden Gate Highlands National Park to Clarens where a 22 kW charger is located.

The Lowveld of Mpumalanga is also a possibility, but only the N4 that runs from Emalahleni (Witbank) to Mbombela (Nelspruit).

Deviating from the national highway though will come with a 22 kW charger at Dullstroom on the R540 and on the R40 towards Hazyview, a 22 kW outlet.

Remember though

Despite the current energy crisis, in some cases not expanded to charging stations, an electric vehicle road trip appears plausible depending on where you are planning to go.

The downside though is the planning that needs to happen before setting off, along with extra time for the vehicle to charge, less spirited driving as a result of the rapid acceleration EVs are known for and most importantly, the stipulated range of the vehicle.

As an example, while the country’s cheapest EV at R742 102, the Mini Cooper SE only has a claimed range of 217 km, which makes it largely redundant for travelling long distances.

More suitable is the 423 km Volvo claims the XC40 Recharge P6 can travel, though at R1 075 000, it is a lot more expensive than the Mini.

Conclusion

Until more charging infrastructure is made available and EV prices drop, embarking on a province to province trip won’t be something most electric vehicle owners will do.

For those willing to take the risk, the possibility of reaching the planned destination without petrol or diesel remains a distinct possibility.

South Africa’s full charging network can be viewed here via the GridCars live map.