Taxis have been in the news a lot over the past few months and not in a good way. The taxi strike in Cape Town brought the city to its knees with millions of rands lost and tragic loss of life.
But there has actually also been some good taxi-related news, as unlikely as that may sound. Researchers at Stellenbosch University and their industry partner Rham Equipment (a mining equipment manufacturer) have managed to successfully convert a petrol-powered minibus taxi into an electric taxi.
As it turned out, the tests went smoothly. The buses proved that they could handle the rigors of a daily GABS scheduled run in Cape Town, taking the mountainous terrain (yes also the notorious Hospital Bend) in its stride.
As the climate crisis worsens, it is essential that we uplift those activists who are representing the people who are feeling the consequences most acutely. And we must ensure that youth are given a platform to express their views.
The fossil fuel industry knew about climate change decades ago and they lied about it.
“We are very excited about the Small BEV category, as over the last decade there has been an increasing number of heavy, large, and expensive all-electric models,’ said Dr Christof Engelskirchen, chief economist at Autovista Group. This comes at a time when mass-market adoption is the real challenge the technology is facing. The choice of small BEVs remains limited within used-car markets but there have been more new launches recently.”
Rowan Atkinson causes EV experts to roll their eyes.
On 3 June, the Guardian published a much-discussed opinion piece by Rowan Atkinson (of Mr Bean fame). The article is about his growing skepticism of electric vehicles and their claim to be more environmentally friendly than traditional combustion engine vehicles. It received significant backlash from technology experts and scientists. So much so that on 8 June, the Guardian posted a “fact checking” article that debunks all of Atkinson’s claims.
It is interesting to drive through countries in Europe like Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark and Iceland. Especially if it is after a few years hiatus. A good example is Iceland – country with only green energy and a surplus at that.
Momentum is building, and change is inevitable. Yes, there are challenges unique to us, but we will find ways to overcome the challenges in an equally unique way.
Toyota has been around longer than one tends to think. 86 years. Its origin is in the loom and weaving business. Sakichi Toyoda sold the production rights to the world’s first automatic loom for 100 000 pounds in 1929 (approx. R171 million in 2023), He gave the proceeds to his son Kichiro to start building cars….
Electric cars and charging stations – the one cannot live without the other. Although it is totally possible to charge your electric car at home and the office and even at the mall, for electric cars to be adopted as the main means of transport in the future, we need charging stations to increase in…
