South Africa EV road trip to Durban features 12 models, double the 2025 count, as charging network expands
By Eve
Twelve battery electric vehicle models completed the third annual New Energy Vehicle Road Trip to South African Automotive Week 2026 in Durban, double the number from the previous year, according to The Electric Mission. The journey from Johannesburg, Cape Town and East London showcased vehicles including the Alfa Romeo Junior, BMW iX3, BYD ATTO 2, Deepal S07, Geely E2 and E5, GWM ORA 5, Lexus RZ, Mini Aceman, Mercedes Benz CLA, Toyota bZ4X, Riddara RD6, Volvo ES90 and Volvo EX90. The event, themed Escaping the Noise 3.0, coincided with National Transport Month and the fifth SA Auto Week hosted by the Automotive Business Council.
Why it matters
The doubling of participating EV models in one year signals accelerating rollout velocity in South Africa, driven by improvements in public charging infrastructure along national routes. For charge point operators, the expanded vehicle mix from European, Japanese and Chinese brands indicates growing demand for reliable long distance charging on key corridors linking Johannesburg, Cape Town, East London and Durban.
Source
- Original title
- “Electric vehicle road trip tests SA charging network”
- Published
- 15 October 2026
In this story
- Topic
- EV Charging
- Place
- South Africa
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