Audi South Africa, in partnership with Rubicon, has made a second investment wave into the country’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network. With this latest investment, the German automaker has brought 43 additional charging stations online, bringing the total number of DC and AC charging connectors contributed by Audi to 127. This is in addition to Audi’s contribution of 70 charging connection points a year ago, when it became the first to bring ultra-fast chargers to South Africa.
The latest rollout includes South Africa’s first DC 200kW ultra-fast charger, which is located at the Mall of Africa, the largest shopping mall ever built in a single phase. This installation showcases Audi’s commitment to sustainable charging, as the solar photovoltaic system installed at the mall is one of the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Compatible cars, such as the e-tron GT, can recharge their batteries in as little as 15 minutes*, making this investment a major step towards Audi’s vision of sustainable mobility.
The rest of this second phase of investment comprises four 100kW DC, eight 60kW DC, five 25kW DC, and 25 22kW AC fast EV charger installations at convenient locations across the country, making it easier for EV owners to charge their vehicles, regardless of brand. With these additions, Audi and its partners, GridCars and Rubicon, have installed 76 fast and ultra-fast EV chargers across South Africa, which represents about 28% of public charging stations in the country.
“The rollout of our second phase of EV charging stations is the next step in realising our vision of sustainable mobility and living our mantra that the ‘Future is an Attitude’,” says Sascha Sauer, Head of Audi South Africa. “EVs are the future of mobility and we’re investing not just in hardware infrastructure, but in making electric mobility simpler and more widely available for South Africans, thus enabling the local EV market to grow. By fulfilling our promise from early 2022, we’re demonstrating our commitment to helping take SA into the future of mobility”.
The partnership between Audi, GridCars, and Rubicon also includes a roaming agreement, which allows billing cards to be used across both networks. This makes charging even more accessible and seamless for Audi e-tron customers and users of other EV brands. Greg Blandford, Director of Rubicon Energy & E-mobility, says that as public interest in EVs grows, so will the drive to integrate charging infrastructure, renewable energy, and energy storage systems.
Audi’s charging network also utilises solar installations where possible, to keep the charging stations operational. With a range between 350 and 480 km, Audi e-tron models typically do not require a daily charge, so owners will be able to find their nearest charging station and charge their vehicles with ease.
The 43 new chargers are spread across various provinces in South Africa, including Gauteng, Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KZN, Mpumalanga, and Free State. All 76 Audi-branded charging stations can be accessed through the Charge Stations website.
For more information on Audi’s electric journey and e-tron range of vehicles, visit the Audi South Africa website.
* All charging times are approximations as charging time is not linear and depends on a vehicle’s state of charge, on-board charger, battery capacity and other factors, e.g. ambient temperature, driving style, etc.
