Covid permitting, ‘E’ is the buzzword for Cape Town this year with the news Messe Frankfurt – organisers of the South African Festival of Motoring – has partnered with E-Movement (Pty) Ltd for the launch of the e-Mobility Festival 2021. The festival will take place in Cape Town from November 23-28.

Earlier, Jaguar South Africa announced it, along with the City of Cape Town, had become an Official Bid Partner of E-Movement, bolstering the efforts to bring a Formula E race to South Africa’s shores.

The e-Mobility Festival will focus on EVs of all kinds, the future of e-mobility and climate change.

“All Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the motor industry will be invited to exhibit at the e-Mobility Festival as well as electric vehicle charging suppliers. Additionally, we will be inviting electric bicycle manufacturers to exhibit, along with all things electric that provide mobility, even skateboards”, says Iain Banner, Chairman of E-Movement.

“We want the e-Mobility Festival to be part of educating and wowing the public at this business to consumer event. Rest assured we will be listening very carefully to what the OEM’s want out of our e-Mobility Festival and intend putting on a production to be admired and celebrated by all that are part of it. Watch this space!

“In order to help us realise our vision and objective to stage Africa’s premier e-Mobility Festival, we are delighted to be partnering with Messe Frankfurt”, continued Banner.

“We are honored to partner with E-Movement for this event. E-Movement have extensive experience in the motorsport sector and in organising large scale events in South Africa”, says Joshua Low, Managing Director for Messe Frankfurt South Africa.

The inaugural e-FEST, incorporating the e-Mobility Festival, a prospective Formula E race and a number of other events still to be announced, comes at a time when companies and consumers around the world are increasingly looking to the car industry, corporates and governments to pursue sustainable and greener solutions for their countries. 

The adoption rate around the world, and in South Africa, of EVs is increasing at an exponential rate. 

“This event caters specifically to the need of consumers – educating people about the future of mobility, the benefits of EVs and the need to look at sustainability and climate change topics”, says Low.