Eastern Cape plugs into electric vehicle future with 15 charging sites

Hotels, garages and retailers join Eastern Cape's EV charging network

Alison Stent

13 OCT 2026, 10:00

3 min read

The Eastern Cape has unveiled a network of 15 public electric-vehicle charging stations strategically positioned across key coastal and Karoo routes, signalling to global investors that its historic automotive heartland is ready for the new energy vehicle era. Rolled out ahead of SA Auto Week in Durban, the initiative links major hubs with regional towns and tourism destinations to support practical e-mobility across the province.

SummaryOpen the quick read

The Eastern Cape has established 15 public electric-vehicle charging stations linking urban centres, rural towns, and prominent tourism destinations.
Showcased at SA Auto Week, the charging grid forms part of the province's pitch to attract new energy vehicle manufacturing investments.
Twelve sites boast high-speed 150kW chargers delivering an 80% charge in around 30 minutes, alongside three 47kW locations.
Chargers are hosted at diverse venues, including Rhodes University, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, local hotels, country lodges, and roadside garages.
The network aims to boost regional tourism and commercial activity by encouraging EV motorists to stop, dine, and stay overnight during long journeys.

The Eastern Cape is putting its freshly established electric-vehicle charging infrastructure on the map as part of its pitch to investors, positioning the network as evidence that the province's established automotive industry is preparing for the transition to new energy vehicles.

The province's 15 public charging stations extend beyond its major urban centres, linking towns, business centres, accommodation establishments and tourism destinations along key travel routes.

The network forms part of the Eastern Cape's broader automotive investment proposition as the industry gathers for SA Auto Week in Durban this week, where the province is showcasing its achievements in an effort to attract further investment.

The Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs and Tourism said the charging stations demonstrates the province is preparing its established automotive manufacturing industry for the transition to new energy vehicles (NEVs).

The infrastructure allows electric-vehicle motorists to travel into, through and out of the province, while laying the foundation for wider EV adoption and the growth of electric mobility.

The 15 sites have been selected to provide geographical coverage beyond major centres and connect strategic routes with towns, business hubs and tourism destinations.

The network includes charging points at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha, Rhodes University in Makhanda, a hotel in Port Alfred, a casino and hotel in Komani, a boutique hotel in Maletswai, a country lodge in Middelburg and a nature reserve in Port St Johns.

Other sites include garages, a supermarket and accommodation establishments in towns across the province, including Willowmore, Graaff-Reinet, Nxuba, Gcuwa, Libode and Stormsriver.

The mix of locations gives the network a role beyond supporting the automotive industry's transition.

By providing motorists with places to recharge along their journeys, the infrastructure creates opportunities for tourism and other businesses to attract customers who might otherwise pass through their areas.

The department said the selection of sites had taken into account the need to connect the province's coastal and Karoo routes and provide practical charging opportunities for motorists to recharge before continuing their journeys.

In Stormsriver, Tsitsikhaya Lodge & Spa is among the businesses hosting a charger.

The lodge's owner has said that some motorists stop for coffee or meals while charging, while others stay overnight.

That offers a glimpse of the potential local commercial benefits, although the overall effect of the network on visitor numbers and business revenue has yet to be established.

The charging stations have different power ratings. Twelve of the 15 sites on the list supplied by the Automotive Industry Development Centre Eastern Cape are rated at 150kW, while three are rated at 47kW.

AIDC-EC has indicated charging times of about 30 minutes to reach 80% battery capacity at the 150kW stations and about 50 minutes at the 47kW sites.

Actual charging times depend on the vehicle, its battery and its ability to accept the power available.

The network is intended to make longer journeys through the province more practical for electric-vehicle motorists while supporting the gradual growth of the local eMobility market.

For the Eastern Cape, which has a well-established ICE automotive manufacturing base, the transition to NEVs presents both a challenge and an opportunity as manufacturers and investors respond to changes in vehicle technology.

The charging network is one part of the province's effort to demonstrate readiness for that transition.

Its presence does not in itself guarantee new manufacturing investment or establish how much additional tourism spending it will generate, but it provides a visible example of infrastructure being developed to support the shift.

As the province presents its investment proposition at Auto Week, the network puts that ambition into practical terms: connecting routes, businesses and destinations while preparing the Eastern Cape for a changing automotive industry.

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