Johannesburg - South Africa’s electric car market might still be in its infancy, but Audi is pulling out all the stops to make a grand entrance this year. Not only is the German carmaker launching three new e-tron model lines in the coming months, but it will also be the first to introduce 150kW DC ultra-fast charging technology to the country.
Audi South Africa has teamed up with GridCars to install 70 new new EV public charging connectors at 33 locations around the country in order to expand on the existing public charging network for the benefit of not only Audi e-tron customers but all electric car drivers.
“These publically accessible charging stations will offer all EV consumers regardless of vehicle ownership, the latest, state-of-the-art charging technology available in South Africa, aiming to assist consumers with the adoption of electric mobility,” Audi said.
The ultra-fast DC chargers allow for impressively quick recharging. For instance an Audi e-tron 55, which has a 95kWh battery, can charge up from 10% to 90% in around half an hour, Audi says.
Audi is planning to install four of these 150kW ultra-fast charging stations along major highway routes such as the N1, N2, N3 and N4.
The investment also includes five 80kW (DC) fast-charging stations, which allow around 185km of range in 30 minutes. You’ll find these on major highway routes, with one of them positioned in Richmond to plug a long-standing gap on the route between Cape Town and Johannesburg.
Finally, Audi will be installing twenty-four 22kW (AC) stations at various public lifestyle and recreational venues, and these will enable around 100km of range per hour of charging.
“GridCars, established in 2009, operates and manages the most extensive network of public charging stations across the country. This exciting partnership and additional investment with Audi not only expands the network, but allows it to be upgraded with additional ultra-fast charging opportunities which is a first for our country, for all EV drivers,” said GridCars managing director Winstone Jordaan.
As previously reported, Audi is planning to introduce three all-electric model ranges to South Africa during the first quarter of this year.
These include the e-tron SUV (priced from R1 990 000), e-tron Sportback (from R2 115 000) and e-tron GT saloon (from R2 715 000), with the latter also including an RS variant. In addition to the usual five-year/100 000km Freeway Plan, these vehicles will be sold with a battery warranty that’s valid for eight years or 160 000km.
Also complimentary for Audi e-tron buyers is a home check to assess the customer’s individual charging requirements, and the installation of a 32AMPs industrial socket up to the value of R5000.
Clients can place their orders through any of Audi’s 10 e-tron dealerships around the country. Johannesburg and Pretoria each have three outlets while Cape Town and Durban have two.
Audi announced internationally last year that from 2026 all of the new cars it launches will be battery powered, with the last internal combustion models likely bowing out around 2033.