Metropolitan electricity supplier City Power has officially unveiled electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at its offices in Johannesburg for Phase 1 of an EV charging station rollout programme.

During the launch on March 24, Johannesburg Mayor Sello Dada Morero confirmed that the stations were open for use by the public in addition to the service vehicles of City Power and other government entities.

He emphasised that the EV charging station rollout was a “pioneering step” towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future for the city.

City Power is steadily converting its fleet of 680 vehicles to plug-in hybrid or full EVs, which is expected to save the entity more than R40-million in fuel costs over a five-year period.

Johannesburg is the first municipality in the country to help commission EV charging stations for government’s fleet of service delivery vehicles, which currently includes vehicles used by electricity technicians and government officials.

The City of Johannesburg (CoJ) also aims to electrify the Metrobus fleet as the EV charging station rollout programme is expanded.

The programme will not only ensure cost-savings for the city and the residents using EV charging stations, but reduce air pollution and noise pollution levels in Johannesburg.

By taking control of operational costs in City Power’s fleet, the entity could mitigate against exorbitant fuel price hikes as was currently the case with diesel and petrol in times of global turmoil, said CoJ Environment and Infrastructure Services MMC Jack Sekwaila. 

He added that, with City Power planning to expand the programme by rolling out more EV charging stations across Johannesburg, it encouraged wider uptake of EVs among residents.

Morero affirmed that the CoJ would also look to introduce battery energy storage systems to the city to buy and store electricity in off-peak periods for EV charging.

He explained that, with the city’s population having expanded to 5.8-million residents, it necessitated continuous innovation, including to narrow the city’s current electricity losses of 29% to a targeted 11% by addressing illegal connections.

Morero noted that the CoJ was also rolling out solar panels in schools and microgrids in informal settlements as part of the city’s wider efforts to ensure energy security in the metro.

City Power acting CEO Charles Tlouane told Engineering News that Phase 2 of the EV charging station rollout programme would involve the installation of superchargers, which would significantly reduce charging times for EVs to within 15 minutes.

City Power itself had a ten-point energy plan that was a strategic roadmap to diversify Johannesburg’s energy mix, improve energy resilience and reduce carbon emissions. Tlouane echoed Morero’s sentiment that the entity would save on costs in respect of fuel and maintenance over time.

To support the rollout of this infrastructure, City Power partnered with universities and technical institutions to develop training courses for EV technology, including battery management, safety and maintenance.

The rollout would eventually include charging station rollouts at City Power depots, operational sites, major public roads and other public spaces, as well as Metrobus depots.