As South Africa’s automotive sector enters a defining phase, innovation, localisation, electrification and Africa’s growth opportunity are all shaping the road ahead.

With infrastructure, affordability, regulation and operating conditions differing widely across the continent, automotive component manufacturer MAHLE says it believes the transition to cleaner mobility will have to be led by technological diversity, with electric, hybrid, hydrogen, sustainable fuel and efficient internal combustion technologies working alongside each other according to market need.

The company argues that Africa’s automotive future, therefore, cannot be defined by one drivetrain, one policy model or one global template.

Through its MAHLE 2030+ strategy, the technology group is focused on electrification, thermal management and components for clean, efficient internal combustion engines (ICE), while its South African operations continue to support passenger vehicle, commercial vehicle, original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket customers through local manufacturing, engineering capability and export production.

While some global markets are rapidly adopting battery-electric vehicles, African markets must also consider infrastructure readiness, affordability, energy supply, vehicle utilisation patterns and the need to maintain industrial competitiveness.

“Electrification is part of the future, but so are hybrid technologies, hydrogen, sustainable fuels and more efficient ICEs. A technology-neutral approach allows the industry to move forward without leaving markets, customers or industrial capability behind,” says MAHLE South Africa MD Juergen Wolf.

For MAHLE, thermal management remains one of the most important enablers of future mobility. In conventional powertrains, thermal systems support efficiency, reliability and emissions performance.

In hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs), the company explains, thermal management directly influences battery performance, charging behaviour, driving range, cabin comfort and component durability.

It notes that this capability is particularly relevant in African operating conditions, where vehicle uptime, durability, serviceability and total cost of ownership remain important considerations for passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle operators alike.

“Technology only matters if it works in the market where it is being applied,” says Wolf.

“For South Africa and the wider African continent, the priority is to support cleaner, more efficient and more affordable mobility while protecting industrial capability, jobs, skills and supply chains.

“We must prepare for new-energy vehicles, but we also have to remain honest about the vehicles on our roads today and the technologies that will still be needed for many years [to come].”

Meanwhile, during a media event on June 3, National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) policy and regulatory affairs head Beth Dealtry discussed the future of mobility in Africa, emphasising the continent’s manufacturing experience and available raw materials.

She emphasised the importance of securing South Africa as a valuable supply partner into markets that were progressing more quickly, such as Europe.

“We don't need to just be a vehicle exporting market, we can also be a component exporting market,” she expressed.

Dealtry also noted that materials beneficiation and processing could unlock opportunity in South Africa.

“If we can translate what we've got in the aluminium value chain into some of our other value chains, that opens up a lot of opportunities.”

Dealtry also highlighted opportunities in producing and selling vehicles within Africa to the African market, emphasising the importance of research and development.

Also speaking at the event, naamsa | The Automotive Business Council government policy and regulation head Mpho Mafole discussed the need for a phased-in approach to the EV transition and the importance of robust policy support for OEMs in order to ensure that they were fully integrated into global value chains and retained export markets share.

“The auto industry is ready for EVs, it just needs a phased-in approach and it needs a strengthened value chain.”