South African charging operator Rubicon introduces R250 idle fees as EV registrations jump 141 per cent

Rubicon, which runs roughly 100 public charging sites in South Africa, now charges drivers R250 for every 15 minutes their vehicle remains plugged in after a session ends and a 15 minute grace period expires. The move follows a 141 per cent rise in new EV and plug-in hybrid registrations in the first half of 2026, with more than 1,900 units added, while public charging infrastructure has lagged behind demand.

Why it matters: Idle penalties signal that utilisation pressure at existing sites is outpacing network expansion, a dynamic that may accelerate procurement of additional charging hardware and influence site design to maximise throughput. Operators and funders will watch whether financial deterrents prove effective in freeing up connectors or whether capacity additions become unavoidable.