The global craze towards electric mobility has gripped many countries around the world. At present more than 10 million vehicles are on the roads in different parts of the world. Zimbabwe is beginning to have discussions along the lines of e-mobility. We delve into some of the realities and enabling conditions for this initiative to work. There are a number of issues which are required if the driving of electric vehicles is to materialise in Zimbabwe.
Firstly, we need to address the power access challenges and ensure that the grid is expanded as well as the generation capacity. Due to the fact that we have not yet managed to generate enough energy, adding electric vehicles will need to be coupled with investments in power generation.
Some electric vehicles use battery technology mainly made from lithium. Zimbabwe should harness lithium resources and produce batteries locally rather than importing them. The range of electric cars is limited with some of the best brands going for distances of around 400km or less on a full charge. This scenario means that there is need to deploy charging stations to cater for the needs of any motorist who chooses electric mobility. It will be unsavoury to drive an electric vehicle and end up being stuck on the road after running out of power without charging stations nearby.
Charging time remains a limiting factor with some electric vehicles taking about an hour to charge. Some advanced quick charging stations can achieve full charge in 15 to 30 minutes. Choice of technology must ensure that the time factor does not become a bottleneck.
The increased silence due to limited generation of sound, should call for more safety precautions on the roads to minimise accidents. Revamping the road infrastructure is going in earnest and is considered as one of the key strategies towards efficient functioning of these emerging toys. Without effective feasibility analysis of electric mobility, gasoline will be here to stay at least for powering the transport sector.
A robust means of security for the electric charging infrastructure is necessary if at all the electric mobility framework is to achieve significant results. Our people need to be reminded to take care of infrastructure and avoid vandalism of infrastructure meant to benefit them.
The cost of electric cars remains prohibitive to many, with the cheapest vehicles in the range of USD $30 000. Without subsidies, electric vehicles will not flourish in Zimbabwe. Prospective electric car owners should be waived from paying expensive duties due to the emission reduction contribution they make. Making electric cars affordable to ordinary people is a key step needed to facilitate their viability at national scale. A multi-stakeholder approach is also needed in developing frameworks for e-mobility and this will need input from commuters, transporters, government, development partners, power utilities and other key stakeholders with interest. Pilots already exist in the taxi cabs which are deploying e-mobility in Zimbabwe. A demonstration vehicle has also been procured. As we progress as a country, scaling up electric mobility will be essential for it to be viable. Raving ourselves into a green future will need careful planning and consultation. Ladies and Gentlemen – Start your engines but in quieter electric mode.
