Car owners in South Africa can save significant amounts of money by switching over to electric models, according to a new study from the uYilo e-Mobility Technology Innovation Programme at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.
The new study asserts that using an all-electric vehicle (the Nissan LEAF was used in this case) can save South Africans up to R18,000 a year in petrol (gasoline) costs — assuming that the drivers in question travel 30,000 kilometers in a year (the average in the region).
The research was done using a fleet of Nissan LEAFs provided specifically for the study — which was supported by the South African government, Eskom, and various car manufacturers.
Business Tech provides more details:
A car with a fuel economy of approximately 6 – 8 litres per 100 kilometres at current prices of R12.40 for 95 ULP, translates to the following annual cost:
6 ℓ/100 km costs R74.4 = R22,320 annually
8 ℓ/100 km costs R99.2 = R29,760 annually
For an electric car, it would cost approximately R4,620 to charge over the course of a year. Regarding the cost of charging a Nissan Leaf, if the vehicle is completely flat, it takes 24 kilowatt-hours to charge – which will cost just over R30, Nissan said.
…The Nissan Leaf however, comes with a starting price of R499,800, while a medium equivalent petrol sedan, like a Ford Focus, starts from R219,000. Most Leaf owners charge their car at home. A full charge takes 12 hours on a standard domestic plug, however, Nissan has rapid chargers, installed at its Leaf Dealerships, which provide an 80% charge in just 30 minutes.
It’s worth noting here that only 80 Nissan LEAFs have been sold in the South African market since 2013. Aside from the LEAF, it seems the BMW i3 and BMW i8 are the only other EVs on sale in South Africa.
Nissan is currently working to improve the country’s charging infrastructure, so perhaps that uninspiring number of 80 will change sometime soon.
→ Related: South Africa Nissan Leaf Launched With Amusing Gas Station Prank
I’d think upfront cost would be a big issue for the majority population in South Africa; the black population is generally undercapitalized. I wonder if the government could set up some sort of loan program?