Zero Carbon Charge secures R100-million for off-grid charging stations — Zero Carbon Charge’s off-grid electric vehicle charging station near Wolmaransstad

Zero Carbon Charge, the start-up planning to build a network of off-grid electric vehicle charging stations along South Africa’s highways, has just secured R100-million in funding from the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).

Also known as Charge, the company plans to build the solar-powered, ultra-fast electric charging stations across the country. It has built the first off-grid station near Wolmaransstad in the North West provinces, which TechCentral visited last year — watch the video here.

In a statement, Charge co-founder and director Andries Malherbe said: “This show of faith by the DBSA is not only financial but symbolic, too.”

The funding will help Charge begin its national roll-out, with the plan eventually to build off-grid stations every 150km along all national roads.

“Each site is fully off-grid, powered by solar energy and supported by battery storage – eliminating reliance on Eskom and addressing range anxiety for EV drivers across the country,” the company said.

Under Charge’s deployment model, landowners where the sites are built – these are typically farmers – receive 5% of the annual electricity revenue from the stations. Local jobs and farmstalls are also supported around each site, with the facilities built in rural areas where investment is most needed.