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Nissan, BMW reveal first joint EV charging stations in Cape Town

29 Aug 2016

Nissan South Africa and BMW Group South Africa have announced the introduction of their first joint electric vehicle (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) charging stations in the Western Cape. The three charging stations are located at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town and are supported by Growthpoint Properties, who manages the complex.

New charging stations located at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town.

Nissan and BMW last year signed a memorandum of understanding that will see them jointly install EV charging stations across the country’s main metropolitan nodes. The planned charging stations will supplement the stations already available at certain BMW and Nissan dealerships – that can charge both manufacturers’ electric vehicles – and it forms part of the two companies’ strategy to support the adoption of EVs in South Africa’s most populous cities.

The joint venture started its operations in Johannesburg with a combined charging hub at the Industrial Development Corporation in Sandton and the Department of Environmental Affairs in Pretoria. It is also installing charging stations at several of its large metropolitan dealers.

Eco-friendly technology

“We welcome the opportunity to partner with another pioneer to establish a wide electric charging infrastructure and, in doing so, drive the adoption of this eco-friendly technology,” says Mike Whitfield, managing director of Nissan South Africa.

In Cape Town, the V&A charging stations use the faster direct current charging method and Type 2 connectors to charge a wide range of current and future EV and PHEVs. The two companies have confirmed that they are working on charging infrastructure at Brooklyn Mall in Pretoria and they will add a number of smaller alternating current (AC) charging stations around Pretoria, Johannesburg and Cape Town to expand South Africa’s EV charging network.