Jaguar investing in local EV charging network

20 September 2018 - 16:30 By Thomas Falkiner
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Range Maps 2b
Range Maps 2b
Jaguar, in partnership with electric vehicle charging authority GridCars, has laid the foundation for the future of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in SA with 82 new public charging stations in the country’s major hubs and along frequently-travelled holiday routes.

The R30m infrastructure investment will make day-to-day travel, as well as longer day trips and even very long journeys possible for owners of electric vehicles, such as the new Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV to be launched here early next year.

With a claimed range of up to 470km depending on driving style and conditions on a single charge, Jaguar says the I-Pace will comfortably fit into most drivers’ lifestyles, whether it’s commuting to and from work on a daily basis, or travelling the long distances required for intercity holiday destinations.

In addition to the publicly available charging stations to be installed in customer parking areas at every Jaguar Land Rover retailer in SA, 30 public charging stations will be erected at various points of convenience, such as shopping centres, in the country’s major hubs including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and Bloemfontein.

SA’s city centres will now also be connected by the Jaguar Powerway — a series of 22 charging stations along the N3 between Gauteng and Durban and the N1 between Gauteng and Cape Town. Cape Town will also be connected to the Garden Route with a series of charging stations along the N2 all the way to East London.

Richard Gouverneur, MD of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa and sub-Sahara Africa, said: "The launch of the Jaguar Powerway demonstrates our commitment to electrification technology and the future of mobility in our market. This new network provides peace of mind to our Jaguar I-Pace customers who can now experience more of their world with less range restrictions."

The majority of charging stations will be 60kWh fast chargers, meaning 100km of range will take 20 minutes. A charge from 0 to 80% will take about 72 minutes.

Every charging station will also be equipped with a 22kWh AC fast charger to accommodate plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs). The AC standard Type 2 socket will allow charging of all electric vehicles (EVs) currently available in SA.

Jaguar Land Rover owners will use an RFID card to activate the charging station and manage electricity billing to the card. Cards can be credited with simple EFT payments, much like cellphone airtime top-ups. Charging station electricity rates will also be discounted by 25% for all Jaguar Land Rover EV or PHEV owners.

Like petrol, the price of electricity fluctuates, but for now the rate for 1kWh on the card will be between R3 and R3.50 depending where it’s redeemed. With a 90kWh battery, a full recharge in an I-Pace will cost between R270 and R315 — much lower than fuelling up a conventional petrol or diesel car.

The entire Jaguar charging grid and Powerway is expected to be operational by the end of November 2018. – BD Motor News

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