South African startups have been invited to apply for the uYilo Electric Mobility Programme, which provides up to ZAR1 million (US$64,000) for projects in the energy storage, vehicle systems, charging infrastructure and connected car sectors.
An initiative of the Technology Innovation Agency, a public entity of the Department of Science and Innovation, the national uYilo Electric Mobility Programme was established in 2013 as a multi-stakeholder, collaborative programme focused on enabling, facilitating and mobilising electric mobility in South Africa.
Previously funded projects included battery systems, charging solutions, motors, inverters, remote monitoring systems, and electric vehicles. Project submissions will be evaluated against the required criteria, with those accepted required to achieve a set of milestones throughout the project development process.
“The development of a local e-mobility value-chain is the key outcome of the uYilo kick start funding initiative,” said uYilo director Hiten Parmar.
“The kick start fund focuses on accelerating existing research and development to the level where they can be commercialised into the market. It provides the support for local products and services, along with developing skill-sets so South Africa can use its own resources to build an electric vehicle industry, with expanding opportunities for export while creating local employment.”
Project applications can be submitted here until midday on January 31.
