Govt to launch Electric Vehicle Policy

GOVERNMENT will this year launch the Electric Vehicle Policy, which will guide the country's adoption of e-mobility solutions, Energy and Power Development Minister Zhemu Soda has said.  

He was speaking at the launch of ZUVA Petroleum's Electric Vehicle Charging Station (EVC) in Borrowdale, Harare.  

This is Zimbabwe's first commercial EVC.  

"Rapid technological progress requires that our policies and regulations as a country continue to evolve. In this regard, my ministry is set to release an Electric Vehicle Policy later this year. This policy will work to accelerate Zimbabwe's adoption of e-mobility solutions," said Minister Soda.  

"The Electric Vehicle Policy will dovetail with existing policies to create an enabling environment for making clean and affordable energy accessible to all in an upper middle-income economy by 2030."

Demand for electric vehicles (EVs) continues to grow.  

Official statistics show that EVs accounted for 8,3 percent of total light passenger vehicles sales in 2021, up from 4,2 percent in 2020.  

ZUVA Petroleum CEO Mr Bethwell Gumbo said, "This shows that the future is going to be different. We estimate that we now have over 50 EVs in Zimbabwe and at least 3 000 PHEVs (hybrid cars).  

"We can expand access to energy and cut emissions at the same time if we accelerate the transition to a clean, efficient and affordable energy system."