Charge to double EV capacity on N3

Zero Carbon Charge plans to double EV charging capacity from 360kW to 720kW at two off-grid hubs along the N3 corridor. The two-station network opened earlier this year (2026), connecting Johannesburg and Durban through N3 Roadside at the Reitz Interchange in the Free State and N3 Tugela at the Colenso-Winterton Interchange in KwaZulu-Natal.

Rising demand from passenger and commercial vehicles prompted the expansion. Charge aims to complete the work before the end of 2026.

“When we launched these hubs in May, we built them to accommodate today’s vehicles while leaving room to grow,” says Charge co-founder and chair Joubert Roux. “Within three months, demand from customers driving both passenger and commercial vehicles has made it clear that we need to bring that growth forward.

“This expansion also reflects what is happening in South Africa’s EV market. The latest Naamsa figures show electrified vehicles now account for 6% of new light vehicle sales, with NEV sales growing by over 500% year on year. This is a recognised tipping point in market penetration. More EVs on the road means greater demand for charging, and the infrastructure needs to keep pace.”

Once upgraded, even with six vehicles charging simultaneously, each EV will have access to a minimum of 120kW. This, says Charge, means the minimum available power will equal the maximum available at other public charging sites in South Africa.

Available power will be allocated automatically according to the number of connected vehicles and each vehicle’s charging capacity. Where sufficient capacity is available, the system can up to 600kW through a single connector. The upgrade will support newer 800-volt vehicles.

At a constant 120kW, a passenger vehicle could add about 150km of range in 15 minutes. At 400kW, the estimate rises to roughly 500km. An electric truck charging at 500kW could add approximately 75km during the same period. Actual results will depend on vehicle efficiency, battery characteristics and charging conditions.

Solar capacity at each hub will increase by 66.1%, from 280kWp to 470kWp. Battery storage will rise by 117.1%, from 645kWh to 1.4MWh. The additional storage will support high-power, off-grid charging when solar production is insufficient.

Charge estimates that the upgraded hubs could jointly generate about 1.6GWh of renewable energy annually. If used entirely for electric mobility, that energy could support around 8 million passenger-vehicle kilometres or 940,000 heavy-truck kilometres annually. Charge equates this to nearly 6,900 passenger-vehicle return trips or 810 heavy-truck return trips between Johannesburg and Durban each year.

The company estimates that additional solar generation could avoid about 585 tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent emissions annually compared with grid electricity. Charge puts total annual emissions avoidance after the expansion at approximately 1,450 tonnes. The hubs have avoided 24,400kg of carbon emissions to date.

“It’s not only about how many electric vehicles are on the road,” says Roux. “It’s about displacing imported diesel and petrol with energy we generate here, and building the kind of energy resilience that comes with it. These sites will save 800,000 litres of fuel directly, most of it imported. That is the advantage of off-grid, renewable-powered infrastructure.”

Michael Maas, Zimi CEO and co-founder, says: “High-speed, green charging capacity is what transforms electric freight from a pilot project into a competitive edge. This N3 upgrade ensures our clients’ electric trucks and vehicles stay fully charged and on schedule, proving that zero-emission transport on South Africa’s busiest freight route is now a reality.”

Charge expects to place upgrade orders in the coming weeks. Expanded capacity is targeted for completion before the end of 2026. The next major rollout along the N1 corridor will include megawatt-level charging capacity from the outset.

Roux says: “The N3 has shown us what happens when the infrastructure is ready before the demand fully arrives. We expect exactly the same story to play out on the N1 – and we’re already planning for it.”