How Everlectric is jumpstarting SA’s EV scene

The slow uptake of electric propulsion in South Africa hasn’t deterred Ndia Magadagela, CEO of Everlectric, from starting an electric car company.

“He who moves first always wins. He who hesitates is lost,” said Magadagela, who aims to supply full-electric commercial fleets to companies with net zero-emissions obligations. However, there’s more to this local automotive industry disrupter than meets the eye.

How to disrupt 

The company sells and leases Maxus electric commercials to companies including retail giant Woolworths, which uses its panel vans for grocery deliveries.

Everlectric’s offerings include a network of charging infrastructure, live monitoring and an EV fleet-specific insurance package.

Asked if the company plans to enter the passenger car market, the CEO said: “It became pretty clear very early on that we needed to be agile to cover any glaring gaps as the business grows and the local market gradually opens up to electrification. 

“We can wait for organic market growth and use our existing partnerships to reply to customer demands, like bringing in an electric hatch or sedan, or we can find immediate solutions elsewhere,” she said. 

The need to diversify arrived with bespoke, new customer requirements. Some companies require a commercial EV that can accommodate a team of engineers and cargo, thus leading to the decision to include the Maxus T90EV, a battery-electric, double-cab bakkie.

The CEO said a four-tonne truck supplied by Jianghuai Automobile Co (JAC) will soon join the Everlectric catalogue. The Chinese brand already markets its diesel-powered trucks and bakkies in South Africa, and will soon introduce a T9 double-cab with hybrid and full-electric models.

This is a new kind of automotive business model in South Africa, enabling  vehicle brands to focus on selling conventional fleets while independent start-ups such as Everlectric look after the specialised leasing or trading of electric models, though the electrified JAC bakkie range doesn’t form part of the arrangement.

Load-shedding 

“Load-shedding trips the case for electric car adoption, as well as range anxiety and the price of the things, but mindsets are changing,” Magadagela said.

The crisis can be managed by planning ahead, and by integrating a fleet monitoring system, companies are able to use information on scheduled power outages and monitor the status of their charging infrastructure to navigate for efficient deliveries.

“The system has helped to maintain our 100% delivery rate over the past two years,” Magadagela said.

Government and electrification 

Magadagela acknowledged the challenges facing the local automotive industry and its wrangling with government to finalise policy on electric vehicles. She said the wheel is moving, albeit slowly, and she is happy the language of the department of trade, industry and competition is changing to one of co-operation. She said it is imperative South Africa moves quickly to resolve the matter.

“A critical issue that needs urgent address is training. There’s no formal curriculum for EV technologies at our educational institutions,” Magadagela said.

“How are we to safeguard jobs of the future if our students are being trained to become diesel mechanics in the middle of the electric revolution? Government and industry need to plan for this, and very soon.”