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Africa’s most exciting electric vehicle event, the Electric Vehicle Road Trip Africa (EVRT Africa), will be coming to South Africa for the very first time from 2 October to 10 October 2019.
Generation.e, working with the Department of Transport and Gauteng Provincial Government, will be embarking on an road trip across the country – starting in Johannesburg and culminating in Cape Town.
Petrol heads and electric vehicle (EV) enthusiasts will get the chance to take 12 of the latest EVs on an epic adventure, tackling challenging environments and large distances to showcase the cars’ power and capabilities. At the same time, they’ll be proving that South Africa is ready to embrace electric travel.
To power the country’s journey towards sustainability, Generation.e will be installing approximately 30 electric vehicle charging points at hotels, petrol stations, and other sites suited for EV charging in each of the cities visited, such as Johannesburg, Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.
Image: Generation.e
The EVRT Africa kicks off on the last day of Smarter Mobility Africa, taking place at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit & International Convention Centre on October 1 and 2. In support of South Africa’s October Transport Month, both events are aimed at accelerating the transition to smarter and electric mobility.
Smarter Mobility Africa will bring together the public and private sectors to navigate a smart, electric, better-connected and low-carbon mobility future. Delegates can expect visionary keynote presentations, case studies, expert panel discussions, peer-to-peer roundtables and immersive electric vehicle experiences on Kyalami’s Grand Prix Circuit.
Generation.e Co-founder and CEO, Ben Pullen, says that after successful road trips across Europe and the Middle East, the company decided to bring this unique experience to Africa because expanding urban populations require innovative mobility solutions without increased carbon emissions - which are bad for the planet - and air pollutants that are harmful to human health.
Image: Generation.e
He said: "In fact, we were encouraged to bring the EVRT to the continent by the African Alliance for Energy Productivity, an organisation which aims to inform, influence and advance the efficient use of energy in Africa in order to grow the economy. The work we have been doing with their team has made us aware of the challenges and opportunities for mobility and energy in Africa."
He continues: "Generation.e is also partnering with sectors of the Government as this is crucial for achieving our aim of inspiring transformation to smarter mobility for the creation of better connected and sustainable societies. At the end of the day, a shift to more sustainable and smarter mobility requires a resolution from business, government, and the people.
Image: Generation.e
"EVRT Africa can assist in this regard as awareness and information sharing are essential for encouraging change, as is education on the concept of electric vehicles, emissions profiles and the future of transport.
"Additionally, the EVRT Africa initiative is a gateway towards strengthening the local economy as the adoption of electric vehicles offers an opportunity for SMME development. With the correct information and support, the expansion of this industry can create opportunities for local entrepreneurs to develop their skills in a variety of areas such as the manufacture of lithium battery components, the installation of charging stations which can be increasingly powered by renewable energy such as wind and solar."
Image: Generation.e
Tickets to take part in the road trip are already sold out, but a few tickets will be up for grabs through social and website competitions. A number of creative opportunities to sponsor the EVRT Africa or exhibit at the Smarter Mobility Summit are available.
For more information, head to https://www.evrtafrica.com or https://www.smartermobilityafrica.com/ and look for the @generationehq handle on social media to follow the adventure.
