Impact Series | Audi's Sascha Sauer on the shift to EVs in South Africa

Sascha Sauer, the head of Audi South Africa, believes local electric vehicle sales are poised for take-off, despite challenges such as high importation taxes and customer concerns about load shedding.<br /> In this TechCentral Impact Series interview, Sauer says South Africans have started taking a much keener interest in electric cars, with a wide range of electric vehicles having been introduced into the local market in the recent past – and more to come.<br /> Models already available locally from Audi are the e-tron, e-tron Sportback, e-tron S Sportback, e-tron GT Quattro and the RS e-tron GT.<br /> In this Impact Series episode, Sauer unpacks Audi’s EV strategy for South Africa, chats about the EVs Audi has introduced to local consumers already, and the German marque’s roll-out plans in the years ahead.<br /> He also talks about Audi’s plans to stop manufacturing models with internal combustion engines entirely, and how that will impact Audi buyers in South Africa.<br /> The move to electric is a big deal for car buyers, manufacturers and the dealer networks. Sauer unpacks in detail what to expect and the work that Audi South Africa has already done in anticipation of a sharp uptick in EV sales, including rolling out charging infrastructure and ensuring the service network is retooled and ready for their mass arrival.<br /> Sauer also busts some of the myths around moving to electric – from the obvious one, load shedding, to concerns about vehicle range, battery lifespan and the availability of charging stations.<br /> If you’re interested in the future of motoring in the South African context and are keen to know more about what Audi has in store, don’t miss this fascinating interview. <a href="https://www.techcentral.co.za/">TechCentral</a>