Marking the third wave of investment into public charging infrastructure, Audi South Africa is again playing a major role in continuing to prepare South Africa for a future of widescale electric mobility. Following extensive investments in 2022 and 2023 – during which time Audi and its strategic partners GridCars and Rubicon added more than 120 DC and AC public charging points to the national grid – the brand has once again partnered with Rubicon to install six 150 kW DC ultra-fast public chargers in convenient locations nationwide. This marks the third wave of Audi South Africa’s charging network investment that brings the total spend to more than R50 million.
The six new chargers, each offering two charging points that can supply charge concurrently, are positioned in key locations along South Africa’s three main road arteries – the N1, N2 and N3 highways. These chargers will serve both commuters living nearby, as well as those motorists venturing further afield on their holidays and work trips. And users won’t have to wonder how to occupy their time while their vehicles are plugged in – a 150kW ultra-fast charger can top up an average Audi e-tron battery from 5% to 80% in 30 minutes or less.
The location of the new 150kW ultra-fast chargers
| Location | Customer benefits |
| N1 – Fleurdal Mall, Bloemfontein | A great stopping point while travelling out of Gauteng, or an ideal pause before tackling the final stretch between Cape Town and Johannesburg |
| N1 – Century City, Cape Town | An ideal location for commuters entering and exiting the Cape Town CBD |
| N1 – Tygervalley Shopping Centre, Cape Town | A mere five minutes from the N1 and set to service the large surrounding suburbs |
| N2 – Galleria Mall, Amanzimtoti | A convenient charging stop for regional tourism as visitors move up and down the KZN coastline |
| N2 – Somerset Mall, Somerset West | Caters to both Somerset West and Stellenbosch residents nearby, plus those travelling along the N2 into and out of Cape Town |
| N3 – The Avenues Centre, Hilton | Sited directly alongside the N3 and makes for an ideal stopover point between Gauteng and Durban |
“This third wave of investment into the public charging network in South Africa highlights once again our commitment to electric mobility,” says Sascha Sauer, Head of Audi South Africa. “We believe EVs represent the future of our brand, both globally as well as locally, and we’re therefore playing our part in making electric mobility a convenient, straightforward reality for more and more South Africans.”
According to Rubicon’s Energy and E-mobility Director, Greg Blandford, “Rubicon is proud to have collaborated with Audi South Africa on the installation of six cutting-edge Wallbox Supernova 150kW DC chargers. These chargers feature pioneering European technology and notably, stand among the first of their kind to be installed worldwide. This marks a major achievement for both Rubicon and Audi SA.”
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Hans Karlsen grew a start-up from zero to $1.6 million revenues in first two years of operation. Over and above being a successful startup founder, Karlsen is a natural leader, enabler, engineer and negotiator with over 25 years of industry experience in a variety of high technology sectors. Karlsen has served as a CEO, managing director, board member, senior advisor and finance director (CFO). He describes himself as a “serial entrepreneur” with the drive, persistence, passion and ability to identify and pursue high-value opportunities.