Despite policy support and some green-energy initiatives, there is still much work to be done by South African authorities to successfully support the country’s transition to green energy technologies and sustainable mobility. This is Part 2 of a two-part article.
… continued from Part 1.
The report notes that the characteristics of electric vehicles (EVs) differ from those of ICE vehicles in that they tend to be between 10 to 20% heavier; and have more torque and acceleration ability.
Being heavier may affect collision impacts, as well as the payload that can be allowed by law. Road authorities in South Africa need to monitor the change in vehicle characteristics as the percentage of new technology vehicles increases; and need to adjust design and operational standards as necessary.
Standards for the design and operation of hydrogen refuelling and electricity charging stations also need to be adopted and adjusted for South African conditions. Road authorities may need to get involved to balance supply and demand, especially in the early days, where facilities not yet economically viable, but adequate charging station coverage is still necessary across South Africa’s relatively long travel distances.
In terms of EV accidents and incident management such as firefighting, EV-related fires have a higher temperature and longer duration, and require more water and other resources to control, than ICE vehicle fires. High-voltage lithium-ion batteries pose a risk of an electric shock to emergency responders.
Road authorities and emergency services need to develop appropriate practice guides for the handling of such emergencies.
Another issue the authors highlight is that as petrol and diesel vehicles fall from favour, a new funding formula needs to be found to replace fuel levies, which have until now been used to fund road maintenance.
In 2000 the fuel levy formed approximately 70% of total road user contributions collected, the report notes, stating that “other sources of road user funding will have to be identified to fill the shortfall being created”.
Other challenges facing South Africa in the transition to new-generation vehicles include loadshedding and the country’s general electricity shortage.
The report notes that the Integrated Resource Plan from the Department of Energy appears not to make provision for additional electricity demand from the introduction of EVs.
Approaches to address the shortfall in electricity production may include using off-peak electricity supply or renewable energy, for example by means of solar technology at charging stations.
“Further work needs to be done in order to assess the electricity needs of EVs and how the necessary supply can be secured,” the report notes.
Regulation must also be developed if EVs are to be made more affordable in South Africa. The report notes that at present, unlike in many other countries, there are no tax incentives or subsidies in South Africa to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.
“The South African government through the Department of Transport committed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to embrace green mobility and to introduce new vehicle technologies,” the report concludes. “Road authorities need to prepare themselves for the anticipated change and ensure that in terms of their role, they are ready to embrace the new technologies.”