MIRIAM LAWAL
The future of transportation may have arrived sooner than many expected, as industry leaders, policymakers and automotive executives gathered at the inaugural Fuels Industry Imbizo to confront a reality that is rapidly transforming the global energy landscape: the electric vehicle revolution is accelerating, and the petroleum sector must adapt or risk being left behind.
Held at the Sandton Convention Centre under the theme, “Embracing the Future of Energy Mobility,” the landmark event brought together key stakeholders from across the fuel, automotive, energy and financial sectors to examine how emerging technologies and shifting consumer preferences are disrupting traditional fuel markets.
A major highlight of the conference was a high-level panel discussion on what the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) revolution means for the petroleum industry, featuring representatives from leading automotive brands, financial institutions and technology firms.
Delivering a strong message on the direction of the global mobility market, Executive Director of The Electric Mission, Hiten Parmar, declared that the era of conventional internal combustion engine dominance is steadily drawing to a close.
“Globally, sales of internal combustion engine vehicles peaked as far back as 2017. Consumers are increasingly making purchasing decisions based on energy security, environmental concerns and long-term operating costs, all of which are driving the shift toward electric vehicles,” Parmar said.
His remarks echoed the now-famous warning by International Energy Agency (IEA) Executive Director Fatih Birol during the global energy crisis: “The vase is broken, and trust in fossil fuels will not be fully restored.”
Industry data presented at the event showed that South Africa’s battery electric vehicle population had risen to 7,940 units by the end of 2025, signalling growing consumer acceptance of electric mobility despite the market still being in its early stages.
The IEA forecasts that electric vehicles will account for 30 percent of global vehicle sales this year, with that figure expected to surge to 50 percent by 2035 even without additional government policy interventions.
Parmar also challenged the perception that hybrid vehicles represent the ideal transition technology, arguing that plug-in hybrids often fail to deliver the emissions reductions claimed by manufacturers.
“When evaluating technologies, we must focus on genuine emission reduction potential rather than simply adopting intermediate solutions that require substantial investment but deliver limited environmental benefits,” he noted.
Environmental concerns remain a major driver of the transition. According to South Africa’s Department of Transport, road transportation accounts for 97 percent of emissions from the country’s transport sector. Experts at the conference noted that South Africa continues to operate largely under fuel quality standards aligned with the outdated Euro 2 emissions framework introduced globally nearly three decades ago.
Despite concerns over infrastructure readiness, South Africa was identified as one of the world’s best-performing countries in terms of public charging accessibility, ranking among the top 25 globally for the average number of electric vehicles per charging station.
The country’s rapidly expanding renewable energy sector is also strengthening the business case for EV adoption. The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association reported that registered private solar generation capacity reached 12.5 gigawatts by the end of 2025, providing a growing source of clean electricity for future transportation needs.
Parmar urged policymakers to move quickly to establish a coherent national strategy that aligns transport, energy and environmental objectives.
“South Africa requires policy certainty and coordination. The anticipated Cleaner Fuels 2 programme expected from 2027 must also incorporate fuel-efficiency standards that support the broader transition toward cleaner mobility,” he said.
As the global shift away from fossil fuels gathers momentum, discussions at the Fuels Industry Imbizo underscored a growing consensus: the future of mobility will be increasingly electric, connected and low-carbon. For the petroleum industry, the challenge is no longer whether change is coming, but how quickly it can adapt to remain relevant in a rapidly evolving energy ecosystem.
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