With the sale of electric vehicles (EVs) increasing (so far this year, 17 million EVs have been sold – more than one in five cars sold worldwide), the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) is investing in the electric mobility sector, working with uYilo, among others.
The Department will be participating in the second e-Mobility Summit. The e-Mobility Summit, organised by uYilo, is held in October, which is Transport Month.
The platform was created to give EV experts and industry leaders an opportunity to share valuable information about EV-related innovations and initiatives.
The theme of the summit is "Enhancing the e-Mobility Value Chain for Sustainable Development in South Africa."
The rise of EVs puts batteries at centre stage, with multiple technologies (each with their own advantages and shortcomings) competing in a market currently dominated by lithium-ion batteries.
South Africa has committed to developing a value chain for lithium-ion batteries to feed (mainly) into the automotive and energy storage sectors. The DSTI established the Energy Storage Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Initiative, a consortium working developing the value chain. This includes RDI for mining, beneficiation and precursor materials, cell and battery manufacturing, testing and validation, and recycling, as well as developing products for commercialisation.
The consortium includes key players such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Universities of the Western Cape, Limpopo and the Witwatersrand, the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, Nelson Mandela University and Mintek.
The summit programme will feature industry and government speakers, panel discussions, and an exhibition of the latest electric vehicles.
The media are invited as follows:
Date: 29-31 October 2024
Time: 09:30 to 17:00
Venue: Digital Dome Science Centre, Ocean Sciences Campus, Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, Eastern Cape
Issued by the Department of Science, Technology and Innovation.
For more information, contact Veronica Mohapeloa at 082 882 3818.
