Motoring journalist Justus Visagie and co-driver Michael MacIntyre have set a new record for an electric car trip between two of South Africa’s most famous cities. The pair drove from Cape Town to Johannesburg in a Mercedes-Benz EQS 450+ sedan in 19 hours and 6 seconds, a distance of 1404 kilometers. This is a new record, beating the previous record of 20 hours and 17 minutes set by Visagie and TV presenter Ernest Page last year in a BMW iX xDrive50.
Netstar, a provider of advanced vehicle and fleet tracking, as well as fleet management solutions, tracked the car to verify the time it took the team to complete the journey. The pair left Century City in Cape Town at 17:56 on 28 February and reached their destination at 13:02 the next day (the 1st of March). They used GridCars public chargers to recharge the Mercedes-Benz EQS five times in the following towns: Laingsburg, Beaufort West, Colesberg, Bloemfontein, and Ventersburg. They reached Sandton with a range of 171 km remaining after their last charge.
This record-breaking journey is an exciting example of what electric cars are capable of. It proves that drivers of fully electric cars can enjoy road trips and long-distance journeys. Justus will return to Cape Town on the 6th of March, this time driving the fully electric BMW i4 M50 sports sedan and attempting to set a quickest time between Johannesburg and Cape Town. He plans to divide the journey into two days (legs) and drive during daylight hours only.
This is great news for South Africans as it shows that electric vehicles can be used for long road trips along popular highways, even during Stage 6 load-shedding. With more electric vehicle models available now in South Africa, and the electric vehicle charging infrastructure side of things developing nicely, this record-breaking journey is an inspiring example of what electric cars are capable of. We look forward to finding out how the return trip goes in the BMW i4 M50 sports sedan.
FAQ
Q1. How electric car chargers work?
A1. Electric car chargers work by connecting to an electrical outlet and providing power to the car’s battery. The charger then converts the electricity into a form that the car’s battery can use.
Q2. What electric car has the longest range?
A2. The Tesla Model S has the longest range of any electric car currently on the market, with a range of up to 370 miles on a single charge.
Q3. How electric car batteries are recycled?
A3. Electric car batteries are recycled by breaking them down into their component parts and then separating out the metals, plastics, and other materials for reuse. The metals are melted down and reused in new products, while the plastics and other materials are recycled into new products.
