The South African Electric Mobility Association (SAEMA) has launched as a national industry body to represent South Africa’s electric vehicle sector and support the transition towards electric mobility. The association aims to provide a collective platform for stakeholders to communicate industry concerns, engage with government and contribute to discussions on the development of electric transportation in the country.
At its launch, SAEMA signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Norwegian EV Association. The partnership is intended to help South Africa’s electric mobility sector draw on Norway’s experience in increasing electric vehicle adoption. Through this collaboration, SAEMA aims to learn from the Norwegian market’s development and the approaches used to support the wider adoption of electric vehicles.
The agreement was signed by Markus Rotevatn, Head of International Projects and Partnerships at the Norwegian EV Association, and Hiten Parmar, Co-founder of SAEMA. During the launch, Rotevatn shared Norway’s experience of developing its electric vehicle market, including the challenges encountered and the measures taken to address them. According to figures presented by Rotevatn at the event, battery-electric vehicles accounted for 98% of new-car sales in Norway.
SAEMA will represent stakeholders across South Africa’s electric mobility ecosystem, including consumers, vehicle retailers, charging providers, infrastructure operators, investors and related industries. The association aims to bring these groups together to provide a common industry voice and represent their interests in discussions affecting the development of electric mobility.
The association intends to engage with government and other relevant stakeholders on policies, regulations and standards affecting the electric mobility sector. It also plans to advocate reforms that it believes are needed to address local industry challenges and accelerate EV adoption. The partnership with the Norwegian EV Association is intended to provide an opportunity to learn from Norway’s experience while supporting discussions about the needs of South Africa’s electric mobility industry.
The launch of SAEMA establishes a dedicated platform for representing South Africa’s electric mobility sector as the country works towards wider electric vehicle adoption. Through industry engagement and cooperation with the Norwegian EV Association, SAEMA aims to communicate stakeholder requirements and contribute to discussions on the sector’s development.
