The New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Summit 2025 brought together leaders from government, industry, and academia at Gallagher Convention Centre to explore how South Africa can accelerate its transition to sustainable mobility.
Opening the summit, GGDA Group Board Chairperson Craig Cornish underscored the urgency of the global climate agenda and its impact on the automotive sector. “Climate change is no longer a distant concern. It is a lived reality reshaping industries and economies worldwide,” he said. “The automotive sector, in particular, finds itself at the heart of this global transformation.”
His remarks set the tone for a day of insightful dialogue, highlighting the need for collaboration and innovation to ensure South Africa remains competitive as the world shifts toward cleaner mobility solutions.
Delivering the keynote address, Gauteng MEC for Finance and Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, emphasised the significant economic and environmental benefits of adopting New Energy Vehicles. “NEVs are crucial for South Africa’s future,” he said. “They offer opportunities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lower fuel costs, and drive industrial growth and job creation through local manufacturing and infrastructure development.”
He further noted that South Africa’s automotive industry contributes over 4% to the country’s GDP and 12.5% to national exports, making it vital to align with global trends. “Transitioning to New Energy Vehicles is essential to safeguard the sector’s global competitiveness, especially as the European Union moves to ban internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035,” Maile added.
Discussions centre on aligning policy, investment, and technology to enable the growth of South Africa’s NEV ecosystem. Key themes include industrialisation, skills development, market readiness, and the infrastructure required to support widespread NEV adoption.
