The recent blow to consumer pockets from ever increasing fuel prices was just the push that the local EV Industry needed. The talk around the braai fires has shifted from loadshedding to how to save money on transport costs.
Listen carefully the next time that you are in such a conversation and notice that the prime drivers of any major financial decision – women – are now on board to explore the options around Electric Vehicles. Top of their minds are fuel efficiency and reducing cost.
Yes, despite decades of being involved in the renewable energy market through Straton Electrical and Straton Solar and with maximum exposure to the axiom; “If you cannot measure it, you cannot control it!” through our work with BA Systems it has taken the Long Hair in my home until now to become an EV Advocate as we troll the dealer showroom floors considering options.
Domestic EV Chargers
From doing one or two installs a year we are now doing one or two installs a week as EV intake ramps up.
The situation in Africa is changing rapidly – while mature Western and East Asian markets are refining existing assets for profitability and dynamic power allocation, Africa and broader emerging markets are entering a rapid infrastructure scaling phase driven by leapfrogging technologies, solar integration, and fleet electrification.
This means that EV Charger Installers are experiencing rapid growth.
Gateway Drug
“In our experience we have seen that Electric Vehicles are the ‘gateway drug’ to larger Solar Systems are consumers gain confidence in the renewable energy system,” says Straton. “We are installing home EV Chargers for clients only to see them ask for Straton Solar Systems to be added to further bring down their transport costs to cents per kilowatt as opposed to rands per kilowatt from Eskom and Municipal grids,,” concluded Straton.
And what do the Stratlec Group use to give the consumer greater control over monitoring and managing their systems? Shelly Automation Devices or, in the case of large commercial systems, the solutions offered by BA Systems.
In response to traditional power grid constraints, South Africa’s charging landscape is pioneered by green-energy CPOs like Charge (formerly Zero Carbon Charge). In 2026, Charge deployed off-grid, ultra-fast DC charging hubs along major logistics veins—such as the Johannesburg-Durban (N3) and Johannesburg-Cape Town (N1) corridors—featuring solar generation, battery storage, and megawatt-level prep for electric heavy trucks.
Domestic and small commercial consumers are now able to establish their own mini grids similar to what companies like Companies Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE), who are pioneering a decentralized, grid-independent infrastructure model to power electric vehicles (EVs) along South Africa’s long-distance highway corridors (such as the N1, N3, and N12).
This approach specifically addresses South Africa’s unique energy landscape: bypassing Eskom power grid dependencies, avoiding municipal tariff hikes, and eliminating vulnerability to loadshedding or localized blackouts, but on a larger scale than your simple domestic EV Charger powered by a Solar System.
V2G:
“The sweet spot, in an African, context will be the affordable EV with battery to grid capability. Imagine being able to come home and use your vehicle battery to charge your home or supplement the grid during times of high demand AND being paid for that? You will save by not having an additional home battery and also be contributing to a stable grid!” says Straton.
When looking at Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capabilities, it is essential to distinguish between V2L (Vehicle-to-Load: powering appliances via 120V/240V outlets), V2H (Vehicle-to-Home: backing up home circuits during outages), and true V2G (feeding energy directly into the municipal or utility grid for export credit or grid balancing).
True V2G requires bidirectional onboard charger hardware combined with grid-aware firmware and certification compliance.
The following vehicles ship with native hardware and software stack support to enable direct Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) energy transfer (subject to localized utility program enrollment and installation of an approved bidirectional charger):
- Ford F-150 Lightning. Capabilities: V2L, V2H, V2G – Built natively on Ford’s Intelligent Backup Power architecture. Paired with an authorized bidirectional home integration setup or compatible DC bidirectional charger, the Lightning can feed power back into home circuits and export energy to the grid.
- Kia EV9. Capabilities: V2L, V2H, V2G – Built on Hyundai-Kia’s E-GMP 800V platform. Unlike many E-GMP models that are capped at V2L, the flagship EV9 includes native bidirectional V2G grid-export protocols right out of the box when paired with bidirectional chargers (e.g., Wallbox Quasar 2).
- Nissan Leaf (CHAdeMO Generation). Capabilities: V2L, V2H, V2G – The pioneer of V2G technology. Due to the inherent bidirectional design of the CHAdeMO DC charging standard, the Leaf has long supported full V2G grid exports (widely used in commercial fleet pilots and home energy stations like dcbel and Fermata Energy).
- Volvo EX90 & Polestar 3. Capabilities: V2L, V2H, V2G – Built on Volvo’s SPA2 platform, both models ship with complete bidirectional hardware and software capability standard, designed explicitly for full V2G grid-balancing integration.
- BMW iX3 & “Neue Klasse” Lineup. Capabilities: V2L, V2H, V2G – BMW launched commercial bidirectional V2G packages (such as their partnership with E.ON in Europe) supporting native V2G grid energy feed-in straight from factory production.
- Tesla Cybertruck. Capabilities: V2L, V2H, V2G – Equipped with Tesla Powershare architecture offering up to 11.5 kW of total bidirectional output. With the Tesla Powershare Gateway, it supports grid-tie discharge and off-grid home backup.
- BYD (Select Models e.g., Dolphin / Sealion 7). Capabilities: V2L, V2H, V2G – BYD’s e-Platform 3.0 vehicles come standard with bidirectional hardware. In several international markets (e.g., UK & Europe through partnerships like Octopus Energy), BYD models natively support V2G grid export.
Having a V2G-capable vehicle is only half of the equation.
To export power to the utility grid, you also need:
- A Bidirectional Charger: Standard AC wallboxes are one-way. V2G requires a bidirectional AC charger or a specialized DC-to-AC home inverter (such as Wallbox Quasar 2, dcbel Ara, or Tesla Powershare Gateway).
- Utility Interconnection Agreement: Your local electric utility must support dynamic tariff export (Virtual Power Plants / VPP) and approve the grid tie-in.
Legacy operators like GridCars launched major multi-million Rand capital upgrades to replace aging 500V chargers with high-speed 120kW+ dual-DC units. Rapid consumer EV adoption in major metros (Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban) has created localized station congestion, accelerating demands for higher throughput chargers.
GridCars use local Electrical Contractors, like Straton Electrical, to install and maintain their EV Chargers.
Global EV Charging Headlines: October 2026 Roundup
A comprehensive overview of the top 20 most-read news stories, technological breakthroughs, and network deployments in electric vehicle charging infrastructure from October 2026.
1. US Fast-Charging Network Surpasses 80,000 Ports as Tesla Share Dips
Summary: Quarter 3 data released in October 2026 revealed that the United States fast-charging network has officially crossed the 80,000-port milestone. Notably, Tesla’s market share of public fast-charging ports fell below 50% for the first time as competing networks like EVgo, Electrify America, and Ionnex rapidly expanded their footprints.
Accreditation / Source: EV Infrastructure News (October 13, 2026)
2. Milence Brings 1,500 kW Megawatt Charging System (MCS) Online in Belgium
Summary: Heavy-duty charging joint venture Milence opened its Temse hub in Belgium, unveiling four active 1,500 kW Megawatt Charging System (MCS) points. This marks a pivotal transition from pilot programs to full commercial deployment for electric heavy goods vehicles (eHGVs) along European freight corridors.
Accreditation / Source: Electrive & FLEXECHARGE CPO Briefing (October 2026)
3. Geely Unveils 2,250 kW AI-Powered Smart Charger
Summary: Chinese automotive giant Geely introduced a breakthrough 2,250 kW ultra-fast AI-driven charging station. The platform utilizes artificial intelligence to actively regulate thermal performance and battery health in real-time, drastically reducing charging times for next-generation 800V and 1000V EV architectures.
Accreditation / Source: EV Infrastructure News (October 9, 2026)
4. Connected Kerb Commences Hardware Production Hub in Aberdeen
Summary: UK-based EV infrastructure firm Connected Kerb officially started hardware manufacturing at its new facility in Aberdeen, Scotland. The plant is slated to produce 3,000 public chargers through 2027, scaling up to manufacture more than 25,000 units by the end of 2030.
Accreditation / Source: EV Infrastructure News (October 21, 2026)
5. Powerdot and Hubject Roll Out Plug & Charge Across 7,000 Points
Summary: Charging point operator Powerdot partnered with Hubject to deploy ISO 15118-compliant Plug & Charge capability across 7,000 European charging points. The integration enables frictionless authentication and automated payment processing directly between the EV and charger without requiring apps or RFID cards.
Accreditation / Source: MobilityEnergy (October 2026)
6. Charging Robotics Launches Wireless Platform for Autonomous Fleets
Summary: Charging Robotics unveiled a fully automated, wireless EV charging solution designed specifically for robotaxis and autonomous delivery fleets. The technology enables hands-free power transfer without requiring human intervention or mechanical plug insertion.
Accreditation / Source: EV Infrastructure News (October 13, 2026)
7. Fastned Reports 47% Revenue Surge and Introduces On-Site Retail Kiosks
Summary: European fast-charging network Fastned announced a 47% year-over-year revenue growth for Q3 2026. Simultaneously, the company debuted its first fully self-service retail kiosks in France, offering food, drinks, and amenities to monetize charging dwell times.
Accreditation / Source: Idéal Investisseur / Electrive (October 2026)
8. Believ Signs Major Deal for 600+ EV Chargers in Ayrshire, Scotland
Summary: Charge point operator Believ secured a major contract with Scottish local authorities to deploy over 600 new public EV charging points across Ayrshire, expanding regional charging access across both urban centers and rural communities.
Accreditation / Source: Fleet News / Electrive (October 9, 2026)
9. Wallbox Installs 120-Station Hub at Montréal Airport
Summary: EV charging technology supplier Wallbox completed the hardware deployment for a massive 120-station charging hub at Montréal-Trudeau International Airport, serving fleet vehicles, airport staff, and passenger traffic.
Accreditation / Source: EV Infrastructure News (October 19, 2026)
10. Zapmap Reports 8,686 New UK Chargers Installed in 2026
Summary: UK charging mapping service Zapmap published its Q1–Q3 2026 milestone report, confirming that 8,686 new public EV charge points were installed across the United Kingdom during the first nine months of the year, bringing the total public network close to national targets.
Accreditation / Source: Zapmap / EV Infrastructure News (October 8, 2026)
11. New York City Selects “it’s electric” for 700 Curbside Chargers
Summary: The City of New York announced a public-private partnership with Brooklyn-based startup “it’s electric” to deploy 700 curbside public chargers. The initiative utilizes spare power capacity from adjacent buildings to avoid costly utility grid upgrades.
Accreditation / Source: EV Infrastructure News (October 2026)
12. Ionity Opens 600 kW High-Power Hub in Bagnolo San Vito, Italy
Summary: High-power network Ionity brought a 12-point, 600 kW ultra-rapid charging station online in Bagnolo San Vito, Italy. Positioned adjacent to key freight and passenger transit routes, the hub caters to high-voltage passenger EVs and commercial vans.
Accreditation / Source: FLEXECHARGE CPO Intelligence (October 2026)
13. European Union Formally Classifies EV Charging Networks as Critical Infrastructure
Summary: In response to growing cyber threats and software vulnerabilities, the European Union formally classified public EV charging networks as critical national infrastructure. The mandate enforces strict cybersecurity protocols, data encryption, and network resilience standards across all CPOs operating in the bloc.
Accreditation / Source: Eleport Research (October 2026)
14. RAW Charging Unveils Aberdeen’s Largest Ultra-Rapid Charging Hub
Summary: RAW Charging, in partnership with Hubber, launched a 14-charger ultra-rapid hub in Aberdeen featuring ten 150 kW and four 300 kW stalls. The milestone pushed RAW past 500 active commercial sites across the UK.
Accreditation / Source: Zapmap (October 2026)
15. ENNA Group Commits $11.2M to Ultra-Fast Network in Croatia
Summary: Energy company ENNA Group announced an $11.2 million USD capital investment to construct an ultra-fast EV charging corridor network across Croatia, connecting key South-Eastern European tourist and shipping corridors.
Accreditation / Source: EV Infrastructure News (October 2, 2026)
16. Sorégies Acquires BP Pulse Ultra-Fast Network in France
Summary: French energy player Sorégies completed the acquisition of BP Pulse’s 32 ultra-fast charging stations in France as traditional oil majors re-align and consolidate their international EV charging assets.
Accreditation / Source: JeChange / Electrive (October 2026)
17. Roam Secures Charging Partnership Across 14 ProsperCap Hotels
Summary: EV infrastructure provider Roam signed a major hospitality contract with ProsperCap to supply and operate destination EV charging hubs across 14 hotel properties throughout the United Kingdom.
Accreditation / Source: Zapmap (October 2026)
18. Commercial V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) Offers Launch at Scale in Europe
Summary: October 2026 marked a commercial breakthrough for Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology as BMW, Renault, Volkswagen’s Elli, and Hyundai/Kia officially transitioned V2G from pilot programs into active consumer energy tariffs across Germany, the UK, and the Netherlands.
Accreditation / Source: Eleport Industry Analysis (October 2026)
19. Norwegian Competition Watchdog Probes Major Fast-Charging Deal
Summary: Norway’s competition authority launched an in-depth regulatory investigation into a proposed consolidation deal between charging operators Eviny and Mer, citing concerns over potential price increases across mature Scandinavian EV markets.
Accreditation / Source: MLex / TeslAnt (October 2026)
20. GridCars Expands African Commercial Heavy-Vehicle EV Infrastructure
Summary: Leading Southern African CPO GridCars advanced its high-power charging network expansion, detailing progress on ultra-fast EV truck charging hubs across major highway freight routes linking primary industrial zones.
Accreditation / Source: Engineering News (October 2026)
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