As South Africa’s electric mobility landscape accelerates, we’re seeing an important question come to the forefront: What kind of infrastructure do we want to build—isolated islands or a truly connected national ecosystem?
At GridCars, our position has always been clear.
We believe in collaboration, not competition. In integration, not isolation. And in working with the strengths that already exist across our energy, mobility, and property landscapes—fuel stations, retail malls, municipal energy infrastructure, and yes, even Eskom—because true scale is only possible when you’re building with, not against.
Eskom has energy access points spread across the country, making it the logical foundation for building a national EV charging network. The reality is that most of the sites we connect—whether forecourts, shopping malls, or office parks—already rely on Eskom/Municipalities as their primary supply. While solar and battery systems will absolutely play a key role in building resilience, these technologies must be integrated into the grid, not isolated from it. When we get that balance right, we don’t just power cars—we contribute meaningfully to the national energy infrastructure. A strong, distributed, grid-connected charging network makes the energy ecosystem smarter, more flexible, and more efficient. Importantly, it also enables more affordable rollout, allowing South Africa to achieve coverage first, then scale up with higher capacity and off-grid solutions as adoption grows. The priority right now isn’t to build showcases—it’s to build coverage. When the time is right, the showcase will come. But today, South Africa needs hundreds of well-placed, cost-effective charging stations at existing established sites that serve drivers where they are used to going and support these locations in the transition. And that’s where GridCars has always focused.
Partnering for Real Impact
This vision has underpinned our work for years. With over 300 public charging sites deployed (120 GridCars
Owned), we’ve consistently focused on:
- Enhancing existing property and fuel brands through co-branded charging partnerships.
- Supporting renewable energy where viable, while also integrating with the grid to ensure consistency, uptime, and scalability.
- Providing fit-for-purpose charging solutions, from homes to high-speed highways and commercial deport charging.
Over the past decade, GridCars has been trusted by nearly every major player in South Africa’s eMobility space—vehicle OEMs, oil companies, and commercial property groups alike. From national office parks to landmark malls, from fuel forecourts to highway corridors, we’ve helped transform existing infrastructure into future-ready charging destinations. These partnerships aren’t theoretical—they’re already live, already used, and already delivering value. And because we work within our partners’ brands and spaces, our impact is often visible through them—even if our name isn’t always front and center.
Why Integrated Thinking Wins
In a country as complex and diverse as South Africa, EV infrastructure needs to be more than just bold—it needs to be thoughtful. The most effective charging strategies are those that find alignment between property owners,
energy suppliers, mobility providers, and grid operators. A win-win model doesn’t require choosing between the grid and renewables, or between public and private land—it’s about building together, using what’s already in place and strengthening it with innovation. When charging stations are planned with integration in mind—energy flows, access, foot traffic, commercial activity, and long-term scalability—everyone benefits: the property gains future- proof relevance, the energy ecosystem becomes more efficient, and the driver has a better, more reliable experience.
GridCars has never subscribed to silver-bullet thinking. We know:
- That grid integration is essential for scaling nationally.
- That renewable energy works best when paired with smart controls, load balancing, and grid awareness.
- That property partners, fuel retailers, and energy providers need solutions that align with their brands, sites, and customers.
Authenticity Matters
Authenticity matters not because it’s a buzzword, but because in a young industry, trust is everything. Over the
years, we’ve watched the stories come and go. We’ve seen big promises, headline numbers, and sweeping declarations about how EV infrastructure should be done. And through it all, we’ve just kept building—site by site, partner by partner, solving real problems and showing up when it matters.
If you’re serious about building a meaningful charging network, the most valuable currency you’ll trade in isn’t
technology or funding—it’s trust. The kind of trust that allows property owners to open their sites, energy providers to work with you transparently, and drivers to rely on your stations being ready, working, and safe.
To get there, you need more than ambition. You need a track record of delivery. You need systems that evolve with your partners’ needs—not just your own roadmap. You need to understand energy, software, real estate, user experience, and local context—and weave them all together.
And most of all, you need to be willing to take the long view. The relationships that matter most are often the ones that take time to build—and if nurtured carefully, they’ll open doors when it really counts. Sometimes that means the opportunity doesn’t come right away. But when it does, it often comes from the same people watching how you’ve behaved when no one was looking.
That’s the quiet side of success in this industry. And it’s why those who take a steady, honest approach today will
find themselves at the centre of South Africa’s energy future tomorrow.
We are Connected to the Future
As more partnerships take shape across the eMobility landscape, the importance of long-term thinking is becoming increasingly clear. We are well past the stage of speculation—South Africa now has enough experience, data, and operational insight to understand how this transition is unfolding. While it’s easy to dismiss early missteps as part of a learning curve, we must recognize that there are industry players who do understand this space deeply—and have been building it for over a decade. When choosing partners, don’t hand over trust lightly. Work with those who’ve earned it—those who’ve shown they can navigate the complexity with integrity, not those looking to capitalise on gaps in your own understanding.
Principles for Building a Trusted Charging Network
- Build with what’s already there.
Start with existing power infrastructure, trusted brands, and known locations. Layer innovation on top—don’t try to replace everything from day one. - Prioritize partnerships over PR.
Focus on long-term relationships with energy providers, landlords, OEMs, and municipalities. Credibility grows through quiet consistency, not just media headlines. - Solve real problems.
From grid capacity to payment friction to charger uptime—address what matters to users and site hosts. Don’t get distracted by theoretical solutions no one asked for. - Be resilient, not rigid.
Design for modular growth. A small site today may need high power tomorrow. Choose systems that evolve without needing to start over. - Deliver before you declare.
Announcements are easy. Execution is what earns the next opportunity. - Respect local context.
Every site, city, and power region has its own rhythm. Success lies in adapting to what’s real, not forcing what works elsewhere. - Stay humble. Stay ready.
Trust builds slowly—then all at once. When the big opportunities come, they’ll go to those who’ve already proven they can carry them.
