A new electric minibus taxi, named eKamva, has been launched in South Africa by a consortium led by startups, featuring an innovative flx EV business model and accompanying app.
The eKamva initiative is the result of a collaboration between various companies and research institutions, spearheaded by GoMetro, a transport technology platform. The consortium also includes flx EV, Powerfleet, HSW, ACDC Dynamics, and several entities within Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Engineering.
The partnership began in 2023 with the goal of exploring and advancing the feasibility of electric minibus taxis under South African conditions. To achieve this, the project team conducted rigorous and extensive testing of production vehicles on existing taxi routes in and around the town of Stellenbosch, using traditional minibus taxis as a benchmark.
Minibus taxi owners and operators will soon have the opportunity to apply to join the waiting list for the eKamva solution. In parallel, flx EV is working on developing charging hubs in collaboration with partners across South Africa. The first of these hubs are planned for Century City and Stellenbosch within the next 12 months.
The flx EV app will enable taxi owners to manage their fleets, monitor each vehicle’s status, and prepay for recharging. Additionally, drivers will be directed to the nearest charging hub through the app.
“This is a new approach to electrifying the smaller-vehicle public transport industry. We believe it will spark an entirely new economic sector and is socio-economically very important for the automotive sector,” said GoMetro CEO Justin Coetzee.
