South Africa has roughly 300 charging points as EV sales rise despite infrastructure gap

South Africa operates approximately 300 charging points, a stark contrast to China's over 20 million and the United States' 250,000, according to data cited by The South African. Despite the limited charging network, consumers are purchasing electric vehicles, driven by rising fuel prices and reduced load shedding. The article questions who is buying EVs in a market with minimal public charging infrastructure.

Why it matters: The 300 point figure underscores a critical infrastructure shortfall for charge point operators and installers targeting South Africa, where demand is emerging faster than the network can support it. Procurement teams and funders face a clear gap between consumer interest and the charging capacity needed to sustain EV adoption.