AUTOFORUM - Informed and innovative

CHARGE showcases charging of electric trucks through renewable energy one year after launch

Jan 16, 2026 Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE), Joubert Roux, SANY, electric trucks, Avinash Singh,


CHARGE showcases charging of electric trucks through renewable energy one year after launch 

 

Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) has reached a milestone for South Africa’s transport and energy transition, successfully charging the country’s first electric truck using fully off-grid, solar-powered, ultra-fast public charging at its Wolmaransstad site. The achievement marks a national first and signals that electric freight, powered entirely by renewable energy and independent of the national grid, is no longer a future concept but a present-day reality.

 

The milestone coincides with one year of operations at CHARGE Wolmaransstad, where provincial government leaders, investors, and strategic partners gathered to witness what is widely regarded as a breakthrough moment for green mobility and logistics in South Africa. The demonstration proves that long-haul electric trucks can operate reliably on clean energy generated on site, removing one of the biggest perceived barriers to freight electrification.

 

“This is a great milestone, not only for CHARGE, but for South Africa,” said Joubert Roux, Co-Founder and Chair of Zero Carbon Charge. “What we demonstrated today is the beginning of the future of green mobility. Electric trucks are going to become a reality sooner than passenger EVs, because the economics, the routes, and the operational logic all align. This is where the transition truly accelerates.”

 

In partnership with global commercial vehicle manufacturer SANY, electric trucks charged entirely from CHARGE’s solar generation and battery storage, becoming the first electric trucks to ever charge at a CHARGE station. The demonstration confirms that electric freight corridors powered by renewable energy are viable, scalable, and investable. Avinash Singh, Sales Marketing Director for SANY South Africa, remarked on the event: “After our working partnership with CHARGE for over a year, it is a special moment to show that SANY trucks are in South Africa and charging for the first time at a CHARGE station on solely renewable energy.” 

 

With CHARGE actively developing a national network of solar-powered EV charging stations across South Africa’s major highways, the focus is now shifting to freight corridors. The next dedicated electric truck-charging sites are set to launch along the N3 corridor this year, positioning South Africa’s busiest logistics route at the forefront of the energy transition.

 

Free State MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Moses Ketso Makume, welcomed the rollout. “We are excited to be one of the first provinces with sites developed on the N3 that will also charge electric trucks. The Free State is proud to be part of mitigating climate change while actively driving the future economy and sustainable logistics.” The milestone was also welcomed by development finance partners. Spiwe Sibanda, Head of Product Innovation at the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), said the demonstration reinforced the bank’s confidence in the project. “What we saw today reinforces DBSA’s faith in CHARGE’s business model and its role in building South Africa’s green infrastructure. We are proud to support an initiative that delivers real impact for the economy, the environment, and long-term energy resilience. We look forward to the stations on the N3.”

 

Greg Cress, Accenture’s Principal Director of Automotive & eMobility, and fond CHARGE supporter commented: “To see this station function to spec a year after its launch is a testimony to what South Africa needs for an EV market to develop – off-grid, solar-powered, electric vehicle charging across South Africa.”

 

As South Africa faces mounting pressure to decarbonise transport, secure energy supply, and modernise logistics, CHARGE’s off-grid model offers a practical pathway forward — one that aligns private capital, public policy, and climate objectives to build infrastructure that works now and at scale.

Back