Electric taxis will soon be a thing on South African roads
Imagine using an electric taxi to travel?
Researchers and private investors have been looking into the possibility of having electric taxis on our roads.
A consortium of business groups have announced plans to test electric mini-bus taxis in South Africa from 2023.
A pilot project will initially begin in and around the Stellenbosch area. There will be plans to expand the project into an educational roadshow in all nine provinces over the course of 2023. Stellenbosch University's Engineering faculty will assist in this regard.
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Justin Coetzee, the GoMetro chief executive, rates that taxi drivers and owners are very interested and intrigued by the idea of an electric minibus taxi. "They are constantly asking us when the first electric minibus taxi will arrive on our shores," said Coetzee.
The aim is to test different models over the coming months. This would be vital to establish which vehicle will be best suited to the South African public transport industry.
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In addition to testing the vehicle itself, the project team wants to communicate with the automotive sector and policymakers to encourage proactive discussions with the government around the reduction of duties and the promotion of the adoption of electric vehicles in the transport sector.
