South Africa’s freight sector is getting a real-world test of heavy electric trucking, with a coalition of e-mobility companies launching a roughly 4,000km battery-electric truck trial across some of the country’s major freight corridors.
Led by flx EV, GoMetro and the Kuehne Climate Center (KCC), the Mzansi EV Truck Super Test 2026 with SANY will take two production electric trucks on a route from Johannesburg to Cape Town, Gqeberha, East London, Durban and back to Johannesburg.
The trial, which departed Boksburg, is designed to test not only how electric trucks perform over long distances and under South African operating conditions, but also whether existing highway charging infrastructure can support commercial freight vehicles.
The first leg is scheduled to reach Cape Town on 28 September for Africa E-Mobility Week, followed by mountain load-testing in the Western Cape, coastal freight legs and a fully loaded climb from Durban back to Johannesburg.
Testing electric trucks beyond the urban route
The vehicles taking part are a 35-ton 4x2 electric horse and an 8-ton rigid truck supplied by SANY Africa and GHM Machinery.
The test will cover the N1, N2 and N3, exposing the vehicles to different terrain, loads and operating conditions while generating data on the energy requirements of South Africa's key freight routes.
The trucks have also been fitted with GoMetro's ZAPPP high-resolution EV telematics units, which record operating data at 1Hz throughout the journey.
For an industry considering the transition from diesel to electric, the resulting data could provide insight into energy consumption, charging requirements and the practical demands of running battery-electric trucks across long-haul routes.
An independent test of commercial EV viability
A central feature of the initiative is its proposed Class A independent status.
Under the governance model, flx EV controls the route, driving, telemetry, analysis and reporting rather than the vehicle manufacturer. SANY's role is limited to supplying the vehicles and providing standard warranty support.
The organisers say this distinction is important because many long-distance electric truck trials have involved significant manufacturer participation or support.
If certified by independent verifier Smart Freight Centre (SFC) Foundation, the approximately 4,000km journey would exceed the existing independent Class A benchmark of roughly 3,000km by more than 25%, according to the organisers.
SFC will manage data escrow, start-and-finish witnessing and the certification process.
Putting charging infrastructure to the test
Beyond vehicle performance, the trial is also intended to highlight the infrastructure requirements associated with electrifying heavy freight.
The trucks will use South Africa's existing highway charging network during the journey, with the team gathering information from actual charging sessions along the route.
This will help identify where charging infrastructure designed primarily around passenger vehicles may be suitable for commercial transport, as well as where dedicated truck-charging hubs may be required.
“We cannot wait for external markets to prove electric trucking for African conditions,” says Justin Coetzee, CEO of GoMetro and founder at flx EV.
“By conducting the world's longest Class A independent trial, we are generating unassailable, real-world data that we hope to prove commercial EV viability while demonstrating exactly where dedicated truck charging hubs are urgently required.”
The findings could be relevant to fleet operators, charging companies, infrastructure developers, policymakers and investors assessing the business case for zero-emission freight.
Bringing the e-mobility ecosystem together
The initiative brings together companies and organisations spanning technology, logistics, vehicle manufacturing, research and industry advocacy.
KCC is the lead sponsor, funding applied research focused on accelerating zero-emission freight in Africa. flx EV is responsible for test organisation, charging strategy, energy management and route execution, while GoMetro is providing the telemetry, CAN-bus data and ZAPPP platform.
SANY Africa and GHM Machinery are supplying the production, NRCS type-approved electric trucks under standard warranty arrangements.
Smart Freight Centre is providing independent verification, while Africa E-Mobility Week will host the Cape Town arrival, delegate test drives and an industry recap.
For KCC, the value of the project lies in creating data specific to African operating conditions.
“Africa needs its own tested, verified, and practical e-mobility solutions,” says Olivia Lamenya, Senior Manager: Climate and Logistics at Kuehne Climate Center.
“KCC is proud to back this landmark trial to give operators, policymakers, and investors the facts they need to transition commercial fleets with confidence.”
From demonstration to freight data
The Mzansi EV Truck Super Test comes as the commercial transport industry faces pressure to reduce emissions while maintaining the range, payload capacity and operational reliability required by freight operators.
Rather than treating electric trucking as a technology demonstration in isolation, the organisers are using a working freight circuit to examine the interaction between vehicles, charging infrastructure, route conditions and energy demand.
The trial's final significance will depend on the independently verified data generated across the 4,000km circuit, particularly what it reveals about the infrastructure and operating conditions required to make battery-electric heavy freight viable on South Africa's long-distance routes.
The journey will be documented across LinkedIn, X and Facebook under the Mzansi EV Truck Super Test 2026 with SANY banner, with updates, telemetry and interviews from along the route.
