Zimi and Charge Holdings have announced a three-year agreement to enable the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) freight operations along South Africa’s N3 highway.

Zimi is a logistics aggregator, and works with commercial fleet operators to deploy EVs on fixed routes, while it also secures reliable charging access.

According to the Stellenbosch-based company, it removes the complexity of electrification for last-mile and long-haul operators alike by bundling vehicles, energy and software into one unified lease.

Charge Holdings operates Zero Carbon Charge (Charge) and Zero Carbon Logistics.

The new partnership comes as Charge prepares to launch two new off-grid, solar- powered EV charging stations along the N3 freight route between Johannesburg and Durban in May this year – Charge N3 Tugela, in KwaZulu-Natal, and Charge N3 Roadside, in the Free State.

The two new stations will now also support Zimi’s rollout of electric delivery fleets along the N3 corridor.

Under the agreement, Zimi-operated vehicles will have reserved charging capacity of up to 500 kWh per station a day, ensuring reliable energy access for electric delivery fleets.

Each site will support peak charging of more than 300 kW, with six fast-charging connectors capable of delivering up to 600 A.

By generating power directly at the charging site, the model aims to protect fleet operators from rising electricity tariffs and volatile fuel prices, thereby enabling more predictable operating costs.

The N3 rollout forms part of Charge’s broader national deployment strategy.

Zimi CEO Michael Maas says the partnership represents an important step towards scaling electric logistics in South Africa.

“Reliable, always-on charging infrastructure is essential for fleet electrification. Working with Charge Holdings allows us to deploy electric delivery vehicles on one of the country’s busiest freight routes, while ensuring predictable charging access and operational uptime.”

“This is true electrification of long-distance logistics,” notes Charge Holdings director and co-founder Andries Malherbe.

“By partnering with Zimi, we are demonstrating how off-grid renewable charging infrastructure can support reliable, long-distance logistics, while strengthening South Africa’s energy resilience.

“By working with Zimi’s logistics partners, we can also ensure that our infrastructure is supported by consistent commercial demand from fleet operators, alongside the growing passenger EV market,” Malherbe says.