February is all about e-Mobility in Cape Town as a series of events celebrating electric living, green energy and sustainability shake up the Mother City, drawing hundreds of international visitors and a much-needed boost to the local economy.
First up is Africa’s Green Economy Summit (AGES) taking place from the 22nd-24th February at the Century City Convention Centre. With an impressive list of speakers from around the world, the event aims to connect global capital and green economy projects across the continent. Thought leaders and experts in their fields will share strategic insights and best practices when it comes to renewable energy, e-Mobility, infrastructure and manufacturing.
Regional Director, South Asia Sustainable Development at the World Bank, John Roome, who will present a session on ‘Taking Action – the road map for implementation of success’ says, “There are huge green growth opportunities in Africa provided all the key stakeholders can work together in a coordinated way”.
To find out more about the list of key industry speakers, or for delegates and startups interested in attending the three-day deal-making event, go to www.greeneconomysummit.com .
The summit forms part of a broader celebration of ‘Go Green Africa’, a shared mission founded by organisations committed to playing a meaningful role in helping to accelerate Africa’s transition to a “Green Economy” in a just and inclusive way.
Another element of Go Green Africa is the E-Fest ELECTRIC – billed as Africa’s Number One Consumer Clean Energy and Electric Vehicle Event, co-located at the Cape Town E-Prix ABB Formula E Championship E-Prix village.
According to Ben Pullen, Group Director of Mobility at Vuka Group, E-Fest ELECTRIC will showcase electric vehicles with all things “home green tech”, set within the backdrop of excitement of the all-electric championship racing through the streets of Cape Town on the weekend of 25 February 2023.
E-Fest ELECTRIC visitors will be able to experience the latest bikes, scooters, cars, bakkies, buses, minibus taxis, home power generation, storage, energy efficiency and more.
“At a time where there is so much innovation and choice in home energy and smart transport products around the world, and during a time where price, supply, and sustainability of electricity is top of the agenda in South Africa, E-Fest ELECTRIC is perfectly timed to present all these solutions to the 20 000 racegoers at the Cape Town E-Prix,” says Pullen.
Visitors will gain an insight into what to look out for when choosing an electric vehicle, the different ways to charge such a vehicle and how to go about converting a petrol or diesel vehicle to electric.
Apart from vehicles, electric bikes are taking Africa by storm but they come in a plethora of shapes, sizes, specs and prices so E-Fest ELECTRIC will help visitors navigate through the hype to make decisions based on their needs.
For more information on E-Fest Electric, visit www.efest.capetown
The week’s events will culminate in the inaugural ABB FIA Formula E Cape Town E-Prix – an all-electric, open wheel street race featuring some of the world’s best single-seater drivers on the afternoon of February 25th.
Chairman of the local race promoter e-Movement, Iain Banner, says South Africans can look forward to an event that will rival any other across the globe: “We’ve obviously been working closely with Formula E to bring this race to Cape Town. They are incredibly tough, demanding and extremely professional and will not compromise. What you see here in Cape Town is what you’ll see at the rest of the global venues such as Monaco and Mexico City.”
Around 25,000 fans will be seated on grandstands at various points along the circuit, which promises to be one of the fastest tracks on the global series calendar. The race starts in Vlei Road at the DHL stadium, then turns onto Helen Suzman Blvd towards the city, before heading through to Granger Bay Blvd. From there it’s onto Beach Road, and then into the home stretch on Fritz Sonnenberg Road.
Ticket prices start at R350 for general admission into the Allianz Fan Village, with big screens, food and beverage, racing simulators, exciting activations and activities, and with DJ Zinhle and Amy Jones providing live entertainment. Limited grandstand tickets are still available.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster www.ticketmaster.co.za.
For more information visit www.capetowneprix.com to get all the latest race and ticketing information delivered to your inbox.
For updates on the event follow the Cape Town E-Prix on:
Facebook @CapeTownEprix
Instagram @capetowneprix
Twitter @capetowneprix