There are probably a lot of questions about the reasons why I bought an electric vehicle. It comes with questions about charging stations, range anxiety, and the price of the car. On this journey, I will be answering all those questions in time. But for now, let me give you some insights into why I bought this electric vehicle.

One of the reasons I bought this EV is that instantaneous torque is incredible! In saying that you have to be careful that you don’t go over the speed limits and break the law. When choosing an electric vehicle, the Jaguar I-Pace has got the longest range.

It’s fit for purpose which is one of my reasons for choosing it. 

At some point, we need to get rid of fossil fuels 

I’ve always said that we need to get rid of these fossil fuels at some point. Leaders of South Africa need to begin to show that we are behind a greener future for the country. This starts by getting rid of the big coal-burning power stations.

It’s just the right thing to do full stop. 

Another reason is to set an example that living off the grid is possible in these times. The only problem is that it’s expensive which then leads to another conundrum. The government needs to work with private businesses and try to incentivise industries. 

Incentivising industries to switch to renewable energy for the average consumer. 

Let’s change to a renewable energy source like solar power

Changing to a renewable energy source like solar power leads. This will lead you to think that it is competing with Eskom or other municipalities. It’s actually not, but rather that it’s competing with cheap generators. If you think about cheap generators it’s as bad as a coal-burning power station. So the competition to switch to renewable energy needs to be incentivised by the government.

This is another reason why I bought this electric vehicle. 

Is the South African automotive market enough to sustain the production of an electric vehicle?

Looking at the South African automotive market, it isn’t big enough to sustain the levels of production that can be seen in terms of an electric vehicle, and more than 65% of vehicle production in South Africa is exported. 

We all know that decisions taken from 2021 to 2023 are going to take a decade to bed in. We’re in 2021 and that takes us to about 2031, a lot of European countries have already put the gauntlet down. They are not going to allow any production of new fossil fuel or internal combustion engine vehicles anymore, which puts that 65% exports and massive amounts of risk.

3 ways we can incentivise OEMs to be part of the EV transition:

Firstly, to be part of the EV transition incentivises OEMs to retool the plants of South Africa and to start manufacturing EVs in the country. The second thing that needs to happen is to reduce import taxes, not only Ad Valorem tax.

Import taxes at the moment to import an EV is 25% versus an ICE vehicle that is 18%.

Thirdly, the home renewable switch in the home is important in the long-term future of electric vehicles because given that the country’s power of load shedding and grid infrastructure, the EV transition needs to be supplemented with renewable energy in the home. An example of the switch is just like we needed fibre to the home.

We had to rely on 3G and 4G before fibre to the home really became a thing. Now most of us sit with fibre at home. Most of us need to switch to renewable energy in our homes as well because it speaks to the whole EV transition. 

So I’ve personally bought this electric vehicle to try and show the industry and South Africans that it is possible right now to live with the EV.

There are current challenges in terms of cost and our grid infrastructure, but it is still possible.

Driving this electric vehicle over the past couple of days has been absolutely fantastic. I don’t think I’ll ever go back.