South Africa's uptake of new energy vehicles (NEVs) — categorised as traditional and plug-in hybrids, full-electric and hydrogen fuel-cell cars — has been notoriously slow since Toyota launched the Prius as a first of its type here in 2005.
But an improvement in sales is being recorded, with a total 3,042 finding homes in the first quarter of 2024. Local EV sales are predicted to balloon to 10,000 units annually by 2030, supported by data collected from sector organisations.
This has prompted the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) to press on with the implementation of strategies that will ensure SA's readiness — but how?
Ipeleng Mabusela, co-CEO of the Retail Motor Industry (RMI) heading strategy and corporate support, spoke to TimesLIVE Motoring about the SA automotive retail industry’s bolstering its readiness to support an expected boom in new energy vehicles.
The RMI promotes and protects the interests of independent, local automotive sector organisations, including:
- workshops (Miwa);
- car dealerships (Nada);
- tyre, equipment and parts (Tepa);
- petroleum retailers (Sapra);
- vehicle body manufacturers (Savaba);
- vehicle testing stations (VTA);
- body repairers (Sambra); and
- component remanufactures (ARA).
According to Mabusela, it starts with education and training of employees of the RMI affiliates. Using Sambra as a case in point, Mabusela said the affiliates’ technicians need to be equipped with the skills and know-how to disarm an electric vehicle’s high-voltage electrical system. Experts are dispatched by OEMs to disarm the electric cars for work to be carried out safely.
“It’s a time-consuming inconvenience to owners of the cars that could be remedied by the auto body repairers being trained to deactivate the electric systems,” he said.
Similarly with the other sectors, training that’s aligned with the various expertise is urgently required. Mabusela said the RMI is extending EV education to learning institutions such as high schools and TVET colleges, showcasing new energy car technologies to attract future workers to the sector.
The RMI is in partnership with OEM brands such as the Porsche Aftersales Vocational Education programme, which the German brand has been involved with for 15 years, to expand the range of professions and adaptation to the demands of the industry and future technologies.
The organisations recently conducted a needs survey that polled more than 500 local companies working in the automotive sector, 58 aligned organisations and 35 TVET colleges to determine SA's readiness of SA for EVs — with discouraging results. Moves to establish a curriculum for new energy vehicles are under way, but change begets casualties.
The RMI has the dual role of leader and protector in operations, and we highlighed to Mabusela that some affiliates. such as the petroleum and the parts remanufactures, will be affected negatively by the electric car age.
Mabusela acknowledged there will be some challenges but said the highlighted scenario is not likely to present itself in the near future. He said the tyre and equipment sectors could face similar hardships as some of the components they make or maintain could become obsolete in the near future.
“In the meantime, the SA auto industry in total should find ways to transform to remain relevant amid the global change. We should be playing in the EV component manufacturing space, and both the petroleum and parts remanufacturing sectors mentioned could look into entering battery manufacturing and refurbishment, respectively,” he said.
“More opportunities presented to the petroleum sector by the electric age are the upgrading of existing fuelling facilities, and revamping and building comfortable and connected lounges for EV owners to recuperate or catch up on work while charging.
“The rest of the RMI members seemingly are in a good space to transition, but importantly all this must happen soon.”
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