GridCars
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGridCars is a South African electric-vehicle charging network operator and provider of charging-management and payment services.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
GridCars is a South African electric-vehicle charging network operator focused on building, operating, and managing public and private charging infrastructure. Established in 2009, it entered the local market at an early stage of electric-mobility adoption and installed its first charger at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research building in Pretoria. The company subsequently developed a nationwide network serving electric-vehicle drivers, automotive manufacturers, commercial organizations, and site owners. The business combines physical charging infrastructure with software and operational services. Its activities include site planning, charger installation, maintenance, network monitoring, and backend management. Its network includes both alternating-current chargers used for longer dwell times and direct-current fast chargers intended for highway, urban, and destination charging. The company has reported more than 350 charging stations or connectors across South Africa, with a particularly strong presence in Gauteng, the Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. Its infrastructure has represented a substantial share of the country's public charging points. GridCars also provides customer-access and payment tools. Drivers can initiate charging through RFID cards, mobile-app controls, QR codes, and an auto-charge function for registered users. Its Charge Pocket service is designed to support cashless payment across participating charging providers, while the ActiveCharge service helps users locate charging stations. GridCars participates in the Open Charge Point Interface ecosystem, enabling roaming and interoperability between its network and compatible infrastructure operated by other providers, including Rubicon. Partnerships with vehicle manufacturers have been an important part of GridCars' development. The company worked with Jaguar to deploy public charging stations in South Africa and later became BMW South Africa's official electric-vehicle charging operator under a three-year arrangement announced in 2020. It has also been associated with Volvo and Audi charging initiatives. These relationships position GridCars not only as an infrastructure owner and operator but also as a technical and customer-service partner for original-equipment manufacturers introducing electric vehicles to the South African market. The company has expanded the visibility and accessibility of its network through digital platforms. In 2022, it became the first electric-vehicle charging network operator in Africa reported to have integrated its network into Google Maps. In the same year, GridCars stated that its network had reached 300 chargers. In 2024, it partnered with Eskom to deploy 60 kW DC fast chargers and 22 kW AC chargers for fleet, employee, and visitor use. The project was presented as a practical model for Eskom's gradual transition toward electric vehicles and its longer-term net-zero ambitions. GridCars' ownership history has included Solareff, an Alviva-associated energy business that acquired a 75% stake in 2017. Solareff later announced its divestment from GridCars in 2025, explaining that it wanted to concentrate on energy innovation while GridCars moved into a growth phase. GridCars also announced plans in December 2025 to introduce ultra-fast, liquid-cooled charging technology to South Africa. The company's continuing role depends on the pace of electric-vehicle adoption, the availability of reliable electricity, investment in highway infrastructure, and the development of interoperable payment and roaming systems.
History
GridCars was established in South Africa in 2009, during the early development of the country's electric-vehicle charging market. Its first charger was installed at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research building in Pretoria. This early entry gave the company experience in charger deployment, network operation, and the practical requirements of supporting electric vehicles in a market where public charging infrastructure was still limited. Over time, GridCars expanded from individual charger installations into a network business. Its activities came to include identifying suitable sites, installing and maintaining hardware, operating charging points, and managing the software systems that connect drivers, sites, and service providers. The network developed across major urban centers and transport corridors, with notable concentrations in Gauteng, the Western Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal. Both AC and DC equipment were used, allowing the company to serve destination charging, overnight charging, and faster en-route charging needs. A significant ownership development occurred in 2017, when Alviva announced that its subsidiary Solareff had acquired a 75% shareholding in GridCars. The investment linked the charging-network operator with a broader energy-focused business. GridCars continued to build relationships with vehicle manufacturers and other stakeholders. At the end of 2018, it partnered with Jaguar on a plan to deploy 82 public charging stations across South Africa. These manufacturer relationships helped support the introduction of electric vehicles by giving customers access to a recognizable charging network. GridCars also participated in industry-building efforts. In May 2020, it became one of the founding members of the Electric Vehicle Industry Association, alongside BMW South Africa, Nissan South Africa, the South African National Energy Development Institute, and uYilo. Later that year, BMW announced a three-year agreement naming GridCars its official electric-vehicle charging operator. The arrangement coincided with BMW's South African release of the electric Mini Cooper SE and reflected the growing importance of dependable charging access to vehicle sales and ownership. The company expanded its digital and interoperability capabilities during the following period. GridCars participates in the Open Charge Point Interface framework, allowing roaming between compatible networks through a registry. This enables drivers to use charging infrastructure beyond a single operator's network, including interoperability with infrastructure from Rubicon. GridCars also developed customer-facing tools including RFID access, remote app activation, QR-code charging, and an auto-charge function. Its Charge Pocket service provides a cashless payment mechanism across participating providers, while ActiveCharge supports station discovery and network access. In July 2022, GridCars integrated its network into Google Maps, making its stations more visible through a widely used navigation and search platform. In September of that year, the company's chief executive said that the network had reached 300 chargers. Later descriptions placed the network above 350 charging stations or connectors, and characterized it as the largest of its kind in South Africa by station count. The network's charging points were reported to account for approximately 60% of South Africa's public charging points, although the exact basis of that comparison may vary by date and counting method. In 2024, GridCars partnered with Eskom to deploy 60 kW DC fast chargers and 22 kW AC chargers. The installations were intended to support overnight charging of Eskom fleet vehicles and daytime use by employees and visitors. The project was also presented as a blueprint for Eskom's broader transition toward electric vehicles and as part of its objective of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. Solareff announced its divestiture from GridCars in October 2025. It said that the decision would allow Solareff to focus on energy innovation while GridCars moved into a growth phase. In December 2025, GridCars announced plans to bring ultra-fast, liquid-cooled chargers to South Africa. These developments point toward a business increasingly focused on higher-power charging, network interoperability, and partnerships with vehicle manufacturers, utilities, property owners, and fleet operators. Its future growth remains tied to electric-vehicle adoption, charging economics, grid capacity, and the reliability of South Africa's electricity system.
- 2025
Solareff announces divestiture
[1]Solareff announces its exit from GridCars and cites the charging operator's transition into a growth phase.
- 2025
Ultra-fast charging plans
[1]GridCars announces plans to introduce ultra-fast, liquid-cooled chargers in South Africa.
- 2024
Eskom charging infrastructure project
[1]GridCars partners with Eskom on AC and DC charging installations for electric fleets and facility users.
- 2022
Google Maps integration
[1]GridCars integrates its charging network into Google Maps.
- 2022
Network reaches 300 chargers
[1]GridCars reports that its network has reached 300 chargers.
- 2020
Founding of the Electric Vehicle Industry Association
[1]GridCars joins other automotive and energy organizations in founding EVIA.
- 2020
BMW charging-operator agreement
[1]BMW announces a three-year agreement naming GridCars its official EV charging operator in South Africa.
- 2018
Jaguar charging rollout
[1]GridCars partners with Jaguar on a planned deployment of 82 public charging stations in South Africa.
- 2017
Solareff acquires a majority stake
[1]Alviva announces that its subsidiary Solareff has acquired a 75% shareholding in GridCars.
- 2009
GridCars is established
[1]GridCars enters the South African EV-charging market and installs its first charger at the CSIR building in Pretoria.
Products and positioning
A nationwide South African EV-charging infrastructure and network-services specialist, positioned around broad geographic coverage, interoperability, OEM partnerships, and integrated charging operations.
EV charging network · 2009
GridCars charging network
GridCars operates a South African network of AC and DC electric-vehicle charging points located in urban areas, on highways, and at destination sites. The network supports a range of charging use cases, from slower overnight or workplace charging to faster en-route charging. GridCars handles infrastructure deployment, maintenance, backend operations, and relationships with participating automotive and site partners.
EV charging payments
Charge Pocket
Charge Pocket is GridCars' cashless electric-vehicle charging payment service. It is intended to simplify payment for charging across participating providers and is associated with GridCars' own network and Jaguar Electrifies. The service complements several access methods, including app-based charging initiation, QR codes, RFID cards, and registered auto-charge functionality.
EV charging locator and access service
ActiveCharge
ActiveCharge is a GridCars service for locating and accessing electric-vehicle charging stations. It supports the digital layer of the company's network by helping drivers identify available charging infrastructure and connect with associated payment or charging functions.
DC fast charging · 2025
Ultra-fast liquid-cooled chargers
In December 2025, GridCars announced plans to bring ultra-fast, liquid-cooled EV charging technology to South Africa. The announcement concerned a planned future charging product rather than an established product line, and detailed deployment specifications were not provided in the cited reference.
Marketing campaigns
- 2020BMW EV charging operator program
South Africa
BMW appointed GridCars as its official electric-vehicle charging operator under a three-year agreement announced alongside the South African launch of the electric Mini Cooper SE.
Outcome. The agreement connected BMW's EV customer proposition with GridCars' national charging network.
- 2018Jaguar public charging rollout
South Africa
GridCars and Jaguar partnered on a rollout of 82 public charging stations intended to support Jaguar's electric-vehicle presence in South Africa.
Outcome. The partnership expanded public charging availability and strengthened GridCars' role as an OEM infrastructure partner.
Brand decisions
2025
Proceed with Solareff's divestitureM&ABackground
Solareff stated that it wanted to concentrate on energy innovation while GridCars had entered a growth phase.
Action taken
Solareff announced its divestiture from GridCars.
Aftermath
The cited reference does not identify the subsequent ownership structure or transaction value.
2025
Plan an ultra-fast liquid-cooled charging offeringProduct launchBackground
Higher-power charging can reduce charging times for compatible electric vehicles, although deployment requires suitable equipment and electrical capacity.
Action taken
GridCars announced its intention to bring ultra-fast, liquid-cooled EV chargers to South Africa.
Aftermath
The cited material does not confirm the launch date, installed sites, or commercial specifications.
2024
Deploy charging infrastructure with EskomStrategyBackground
Eskom sought to support electric fleet vehicles and develop a practical pathway toward lower-carbon operations.
Action taken
GridCars partnered with Eskom to install 60 kW DC fast chargers and 22 kW AC chargers for fleet, employee, and visitor use.
Aftermath
The installations were described as a blueprint for Eskom's transition toward greater EV use and its net-zero objective.
2022
Integrate the network with Google MapsProduct launchBackground
EV drivers needed simpler ways to discover public charging locations.
Action taken
GridCars integrated its charging network into Google Maps.
Aftermath
The integration improved the network's visibility through a widely used mapping platform.
2020
Formalize an OEM charging-operator relationship with BMWStrategyBackground
BMW was expanding its electric-vehicle offering in South Africa, including the introduction of the electric Mini Cooper SE.
Action taken
GridCars entered a three-year arrangement to serve as BMW South Africa's official EV charging operator.
Aftermath
The arrangement increased GridCars' role in supporting OEM-led electric-vehicle adoption.
2017
Accept a majority investment from SolareffM&ABackground
GridCars was operating in an emerging South African EV-charging market requiring infrastructure investment and energy-sector relationships.
Action taken
Alviva announced that its subsidiary Solareff had acquired a 75% shareholding in GridCars.
Aftermath
Solareff became a majority owner-operator associated with GridCars until announcing its divestiture in 2025.
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Audi South Africa and GridCars partner on EV charging network[2]
Audi South Africa partnered with GridCars to install ultrafast EV charging stations across South Africa, including 70 new charging connectors at 33 sites. The article says installation began in December and the project is continuing into this year.
Sources2 sources
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