By Zero Carbon Charge (ZCC) in partnership with the Free State Provincial Government launched the R4.3 billion off-grid solar powered ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the province by signing a collaborative memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday, 14 May 2024, in Bloemfontein.
The province is begging to reap the spin-offs of its investment conference in February this year, with ZCC, which also pledged R250 million during the conference, now investing in the Free State by building a total of 22 EV charging station worth R4.3 billion and will create thousands of jobs in its initial phase.
According to Co-founder of ZCC Mr. Joubert Roux, the company will roll out the construction of 15 electric passenger vehicle charging stations and seven electric truck charging stations by Zero Carbon Charge and Zero Carbon Logistics respectively. The project is set to conclude by September 2025.
The project will have an impressive multiplier effect on the communities it is operating from, a number of people are set to benefit beyond employment. Landowners will earn 5% of the revenue generated from vehicle-charging on their land, whilst 1% of the total revenue from charging will also be reinvested in local socio-economic development initiatives.
The Free State MEC for the Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (DESTEA) Mr Thabo Meeko said he is encouraged by the investment of the private sector and confidence they have in the economic potential of the Free State.
“It is encouraging to see that through the Free State’s energy indaba and investment conference, we are attracting private investors that see the potential of the Free State as being an energy hub for the country. We recognise Zero Carbon Charge as a key private partner who will promote not only electric vehicles charging stations that are off-grid, but who will promote socio-economic benefits such as job creation and skills development, while supporting green mobility and energy resilience. We are proud to be the first province to launch an off-grid EV charging network,” said Meeko.
The EV charging stations will be completely off grid, they will not be affected by load-shedding; motorist will not be subjected to the inconvenience of power cuts, nor will ZCC lose production time due to load-shedding.
The station form part of the 120 passenger EV charging stations and 120 Truck stations that both Zero Carbon Charge and Zero Carbon Logistics are building throughout South Africa.
The electric vehicle charging sites will be located in the following local municipalities in the Free State:
Mohokare
Ngwathe
Metsimaholo
Mafube
Tokologo
Maluti-a-Phofung
Mangaung
Dihlabeng
Kopanong
Phumelela
Moqhaka
Mantsopa
Masilonyana
