South African trade and industry minister Rob Davies has announced that vehicle manufacturers will receive incentives for increasing production of electric cars
Speaking in Johannesburg, the minister said, “Producers of electric cars would have to manufacture 5,000 electric vehicles before they qualify for an incentive.
“South Africa must not be left behind in green initiatives and technology.”
The government has pledged to reimburse manufacturers with 35 per cent of production cost within a period of three years.
Davies said the step was meant to encourage development of infrastructure for the local production of electric cars.
The minister said, “What will make these vehicles marketable in South Africa will be entirely dependent on whether these cars are made in South Africa.”
Davies added that the government was looking at consumer incentives, but that production was taking preference at the moment.
South African water and environmental affairs minister Edna Molewa, who had announced a public-private pilot test project for an emission-free electric car in February, disclosed that three solar powered charging stations will be made available in the country by 2015.
“We aim to have 50 charging stations for the cars in the country by 2015,” she added.
