Watching Siya Kolisi’s Springboks lift the Rugby World Cup for the fourth time after three one-point victories against the best of the best was a wonderful, era-defining moment. The positive effect it has had on our nation is palpable. Isn’t it amazing how often our country defies the odds, proving even our harshest critics wrong?…
Zero Carbon Charge is a start-up that is going places. Which places? All nine provinces of South Africa. And then, pretty much the whole of Africa, because its goal is the Electrification of Mobility in Africa. Which means the democratization and localization of energy generation across the continent.
It’s common knowledge that the transportation industry is a major contributor to climate change and that in order to reach the net zero by 2050 goal, the industry needs a near-total overhaul. This piece takes a look at just how bad the industry is and what needs to happen if it is to reach that pivotal goal.
The conversation on climate change has gained huge momentum. There is however a lingering perception that the move to a greener economy, or to engage in climate transition, is somehow a loss to the existing economy.
On Thursday 29 June 2023, an event happened that SA historians might one day pinpoint as the key moment when a changing of the guard occurred. On this day BYD launched its first EV in South Africa – the Atto 3. It is a stylish, roomy, family SUV in the C-segment.
The fossil fuel industry knew about climate change decades ago and they lied about it.
A year ago, when I started blogging about EVs and charging stations information was hard to come by and people were ignorant about the possibilities. Now I am flooded daily with mainstream news on new developments in the EV and charging worlds
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.
As the shocking revelations of 2016 showed, Transnet was one of the main victims of State Capture. Transnet is the state-owned enterprise that is responsible for the maintenance of 31 000 km of railroad in South Africa. Needless to say they have largely failed at this task. Their incompetence combined with cable theft and vandalism has led to much of our rail transport falling into a state of total disrepair, becoming essentially unusable. The fall-out from this has been a massive increase in the use of trucks for transporting coal and goods across the country.