South African motor sector stuck in the ICE age
Concerns around sustainability and climate change are driving the electric vehicle transition, with some countries putting in place plans to ban internal combustion engine vehicles outright. If South Africa doesn’t reinvent its motor sector, it risks being left in the cold. Yet the government continues to stall on EV policy
A crossroads or a fork in the road? Whichever metaphor it prefers, the South African motor industry must make an urgent decision on its future direction. Will it be part of the global electric vehicle (EV) revolution or will it stick stubbornly to the old ways, in the shape of the petrol and diesel internal combustion engine (ICE)?
If the latter, say some, it won’t matter what diversion the industry chooses. The road will lead inevitably over the edge of a cliff. While it will be some years before current ICE technology disappears completely, new automotive technologies are developing at a breathtaking rate. By the time South Africa decides it wants to adopt them, it may be too late. ..
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