South Africa's CHARGE Upgrades Off-Grid EV Charging Network
The company is doubling capacity at its N3 highway hubs to 720 kW per site in response to growing demand from passenger and commercial EVs.
Three months after launching its off-grid, solar-powered EV charging network on South Africa's N3 highway corridor, Zero Carbon Charge (aka CHARGE) has confirmed plans to double charging capacity at both hubs in response to growing demand.
What Happened
CHARGE will increase total charging capacity at each hub from 360 kW to 720 kW. Solar capacity per site will grow from 280 kWp to 470 kWp, while battery storage will increase from 645 kWh to 1.4 MWh. Load management automatically allocates available power among vehicles and can direct up to 600 kW to a single connector when sufficient capacity is available. The upgrade also future-proofs the network for the next generation of 800-volt vehicles and lays groundwork for megawatt-level charging. Combined, the two upgraded hubs will have the potential to generate approximately 1.6 GWh of renewable energy annually.
Why It Matters
The expansion addresses rising demand from both passenger and commercial EV operators on South Africa's busiest freight corridor. According to NAAMSA figures cited by CHARGE, electrified vehicles now account for 6% of new light vehicle sales in the country. The company estimates the sites will save 800,000 litres of fuel directly, most of it imported. For electric freight operators, the upgraded infrastructure aims to move high-speed charging from pilot projects into a competitive logistics advantage.
The Bottom Line
CHARGE co-founder Joubert Roux said the N3 has demonstrated what happens when infrastructure is ready before demand fully arrives, and the company expects the same trajectory on the N1 where it is already planning similar hubs. The upgrade marks an early test of whether off-grid solar charging can scale alongside South Africa's emerging EV market.
