Eskom launches exciting electric vehicle infrastructure, but you can’t use it!

Last year, walking through the James Hall Museum of Transport, stroking the doors of the Eskom-branded Enfield Electric 8000 car, I had a chuckle at the thought of it being easier to power in 1974 when it was brought to South Africa than in 2023.

After a couple of changes of hands, it landed on Eskom’s lap in 1994. It was exciting at the time because it was the start of the electric vehicle project. Whatever it was, 30 years later very little has come of it, save to make it a museum piece.

The private sector took on the electric vehicle project before gay marriage was allowed in the country and in 2005, we had the company Optimal Energy. They got a lovely R315 million combined from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Industrial Development Corporation to build a prototype of the Joule; a car that was going to challenge Tesla.

Four prototypes were made before the project became unfeasible. Some Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University students had a wonderful time torching three of them with the last one rusting away in camera.

Fear not dear public! For Eskom is recharging the electric vehicle market! We have learned that they have installed an electric vehicle charging network.

Goody gumdrops. When I heard the news, I was on my way to buy an electric car imagining how I’d be able to go exploring the country by taking advantage of a whole electric vehicle charging network infrastructure. In solidarity with most electric cars, my energy was sapped prematurely when I found out that by “network” they meant 10 charging stations… at five sites… to service 20 vehicles… that will be used by Eskom employees.

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I sighed in defeat while my back account sighed in relief noting that this realisation would prevent any desire to get an electric vehicle. Yes, it’s a pilot project but we’ve had more than 50 years of electric vehicle pilot projects to get excited about. Setting up 10 charging ports around the country for 20 vehicles in 2024 isn’t nearly as exciting as importing an electric car in 1974. It certainly isn’t as exciting as setting up to design and build what could have been the world’s best electric vehicles at the time, in South Africa.

Sure, it’s cool and in the absence of South Africa’s history with electric vehicles, it may even be promising. But we’re tired of the promises. Wake us up when there is something that actually affects us.

Eskom wants to electrify its entire fleet by 2040? Check how many substations look beaten and broken on your next commute and pretend that the infrastructure being built now will last until 2040. After all, without hope, we have very little else to go on.

It’s probably also best that the infrastructure is being set up for Eskom’s use because most of the rest of us will find electricity the most luxurious thing if Nersa keeps allowing Eskom to deplete us faster than a lead acid battery on full cycle. We’d probably be better off designing cars that run on steak and brandy specials.

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Let’s not be hyper-critical though. It’s a step in the right direction. It’s a step in the right direction that should have been taken 10 years ago. It’s a step in the right direction that’s much shorter than the steps already taken. It’s a step in the right direction that’s pretty useless without many other steps that should follow and history has taught us to be cautious of believing in those future steps.

Good luck with your infrastructure Eskom. Wishing you everything of the best with the project. Until we can buy an electric camper van and tour South Africa on your *cough* affordable *cough* charging network, there’s not much in it for the public to get excited about.