South Africa’s shift to electric trucking depends on rapid EV charging infrastructure rollout, especially on long-haul routes like the N3. Without reliable, ultra-fast charging on the country’s busiest freight corridor, the move to e-trucking will remain out of reach for most operators. CHARGE (Zero Carbon Charge) recently commenced construction on the Johannesburg-Durban route with sod-turning events at two solar-powered, high-capacity charging sites geared for long-haul e-trucking.
Covering the corridor
The two fully off-grid, ultra-fast EV charging stations include CHARGE N3 Roadside in the Free State, roughly 180 km from Johannesburg and CHARGE N3 Tugela in KwaZulu-Natal, just over 180 km from Roadside and around 200 km from Durban.
These will be the first off-grid ultra-fast EV charging stations on this nationally strategic route, forming part of CHARGE’s wider rollout of South Africa’s first network of 120 off-grid charging stations.
The Development Bank of Southern Africa’s equity investment has enabled construction to start on both sites.
CHARGE Executive Chairman and Founder, Joubert Roux states: “We are grateful to the DBSA for believing in CHARGE’s vision and providing the investment that has made these N3 sites possible. We also pay tribute to our team, whose dedication and hard work have brought us to this momentous occasion.”
Provincial support
Sod-turning ceremonies at both sites drew provincial leadership, municipal officials and national partners. At N3 Tugela, the MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Reverend Zondi, the CEO of Trade and Investment KwaZulu-Natal, Sihle Mkondo, and representatives of the Okhahlamba Municipality attended.
MEC Zondi notes: “This project demonstrates how green energy and green mobility can unlock new economic opportunities for our province. The N3 is central to trade and tourism in KZN and the arrival of fully off-grid, ultra-fast charging infrastructure shows our readiness to lead in the future economy. This is exactly the type of investment that creates jobs, builds capacity and strengthens our green industrialisation pathway.”
At the CHARGE N3 Roadside event, CHARGE welcomed the MEC of DESTEA (Free State Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs), Ketso Makume, and the Speaker of Phumelele Municipality, Topsy Roseline Zwane, supported by representatives from the DBSA.
According to Makume: “By decarbonising transport along the N3, this project supports our provincial goals for a cleaner, more resilient economy. It brings construction and technical jobs into our communities and strengthens the Free State’s position in the emerging clean-energy value chain.”
Down the line
Construction is under way at both sites and is expected to conclude in 2026. Once operational, CHARGE N3 Roadside and CHARGE N3 Tugela will anchor a fully renewable charging route between Johannesburg and Durban, marking a significant shift toward a cleaner national transport system.
Roux concludes: “These first N3 stations represent the beginning of a national transformation, creating reliable, renewable and accessible charging for all South Africans.”
Editor’s comment: Long-haul decarbonisation stands or falls on infrastructure. These N3 stations are early markers of progress on a corridor crying out for dependable ultra-fast charging to support South Africa’s nascent electric truck parc. The challenge now is scale, pace and coordination. South Africa needs many more of these sites – delivered quickly – if e-trucking is to become a practical reality rather than a policy aspiration.
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