Zimi Charge – Sustainability Institute

Investing in Impact

P4G has awarded the partnership with around US $465,000 in grant funding.

Zimi Charge powers businesses’ transition to electric vehicles (EVs), providing the support, software, and infrastructure as they scale to more sustainable options. It also offers carbon tracking and monitoring insights that allows fleet operators to optimize their fleet’s operational behavior including charging patterns and energy usage. 

Road transportation accounts for 11% of South Africa’s emissions with fleet operators contributing to 8% of that total. There are environmental and cost benefits involved in an electric fleet transition and industry trends signal significant investments in electric vehicles. South Africa is expected to have more than 25,000 electric vehicles on the road by 2025 and electric vehicle sales are expected to eventually surpass internal combustion engine sales (ICE). This growth can be attributed to several factors including rising fuel prices, the lower cost of electric vehicle maintenance over its lifetime, and the continuing decline in prices of electric vehicles. 

Zimi Charge stations work with any type of electric vehicle and customers have pricing options that include purchase, rent-to-own, and Charger-as-a-Service plans.

Zimi Charge’s target customers are fleets engaged in delivery, last-mile logistics and technical services. The company has a competitive advantage in the electric vehicle charging space because of its integrated solution, allowing them to save fleets up to 90% on their fuel bill and roll out three times more infrastructure at the same cost. In addition to advanced charging features such as verified carbon standard reporting and mobile payments, it also provides infrastructure financing solutions to overcome the high upfront costs. 

The startup will work with the Sustainability Institute to transition all campus transportation services to an electric fleet. The Sustainability Institute has a solid track record in managing local and international projects and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience through its extensive network. 

In 2024, the partnership achieved major milestones in product and platform development. Zimi Charge designed, manufactured and deployed the Zimi Z4 charger and new DC chargers (60 kW and 120 kW). The team expanded to include two full-stack engineers and established a strong supply chain. Zimi Charge also released the Zeus energy tracking platform, a proprietary charge point operation system, acquired two electric vehicles, and formed partnerships with telematics companies for assisting with vehicle monitoring. 

The Sustainability Institute installed a new parking lot with two 22kW EV chargers, supported by a renewable energy system featuring a 5.5 kWp solar array, a 15.1 kWh battery bank and an 8 kW inverter. This off-grid battery backup system was sponsored by the Stellenbosch University Research Group. A comprehensive fleet analysis was also completed, and vehicle selection for passenger transport and shuttle services was finalized, advancing the Institute’s transition to a zero-carbon fleet. 

Holocene has supported Zimi Charge with project assistance, client introductions and advice on debt and funding, enhancing its business strategies with industry insights. 

In line with South Africa’s commitment to a just transition, the Sustainability Institute will enroll 40 students in a youth mentorship program tailored to developing skills and employment opportunities for youth in the new energy sector. It will also secure 10 internships for students in the program. The Sustainability Institute will support Zimi Charge in establishing an Environmental, Social and Governance framework and lead on developing a carbon standard for South African fleets. It will engage with the relevant government and regulatory bodies to assist in improving the enabling environment in South Africa for electric fleets. 

During the P4G funding period, Zimi Charge intends to run pilots with 18 fleet customers and prove out an operational model for fleet electrification in South Africa. 

The partnership comprises the following partners: Zimi Charge (lead business partner); Sustainability Institute (lead administrative partner); Holocene.