As South Africa grapples with a fledgling electric vehicle market hobbled by chronic power cuts and vast travel distances, one startup believes it has the answer: go completely off-grid. Zero Carbon Charge has secured a R100 million ($5.6 million) equity investment from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) to roll out a network of solar-powered, ultra-fast charging stations, a move that could prove pivotal for the country’s green transition.
The investment will accelerate the deployment of what the company says will be a network of 120 charging stations spaced every 150km along major national highways. Each station will operate independently of South Africa’s notoriously unreliable national power utility, Eskom, which has been plagued by daily power outages, known locally as “load-shedding.”
This energy independence is the core of Zero Carbon Charge’s strategy. By harnessing solar power and on-site battery storage, the company aims to directly address the “range anxiety” that has been a major barrier to EV adoption in a country where long-distance travel is common.
“This show of faith by the DBSA is not just financial — it is symbolic,” said Andries Malherbe, Director and Co-founder of Zero Carbon Charge. He emphasised that the funding is a crucial endorsement of their mission to build climate-resilient infrastructure.
The South African EV market, while growing, remains nascent. According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (NAAMSA), new energy vehicle (NEV) sales are on the rise but still represent a small fraction of the total market. The high cost of EVs and the scarcity of reliable charging infrastructure are significant hurdles for potential buyers. Zero Carbon Charge’s off-grid model is a direct response to the infrastructure challenge, promising a consistent and dependable charging experience.
The DBSA, a state-owned entity tasked with financing infrastructure development, views the investment as a catalyst for broader economic and environmental goals.
“We are happy to have invested R100 million in support of Zero Carbon Charge’s off-grid EV charging, which will not only assist in growing the EV market in South Africa, but also create jobs, support the economy, and mitigate climate change,” commented Lebogang Seperepere, Acting Group Executive for Project Preparation at the DBSA.
Beyond the cleantech angle, the project carries a significant socio-economic dimension. The charging stations will be located in rural areas, often on farmland. Landowners who host a station will receive 5% of the annual electricity revenue, providing a diversified and stable income stream in a sector often at the mercy of climate volatility. Each site is also expected to create local jobs and stimulate economic activity around farm stalls and other small businesses.
Joubert Roux, founder of Zero Carbon Charge, highlighted the rigour of the investment process. “I commend the DBSA for its unwavering professionalism and commitment throughout the due diligence process. We are honoured by their support and determined to deliver.”
The company’s first station is already operational near the town of Wolmaransstad in the North West province, serving as a proof-of-concept for the nationwide rollout. With the fresh capital injection from the DBSA, Zero Carbon Charge is now positioned to significantly scale its operations, offering a potential blueprint for how to build EV infrastructure in regions where the grid cannot be relied upon. The success of this initiative could not only power up South Africa’s transport landscape but also offer a valuable case study for other developing nations facing similar energy and infrastructure challenges.