UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Robert Balfour, and mascot Cara at the university’s Cricket Oval on Wellness Day this week. Image: Shelley Christians
Unemployed UWC graduates have turned an old golf cart into a clean-energy Power hub. What was once a rusted, 18-year-old golf cart headed for the scrapyard is now one of the most innovative vehicles on campus at the University of the Western Cape. Rebuilt by unemployed engineering graduates, the cart runs entirely on renewable energy. It can also power household appliances while driving up to 140 kilometres on a single charge. The Car is known as the Volt Cart.
Image: Shelley Christians
“What makes this special is that it’s not just transport,” said lab head Bernard Bladergroen. “You have an AC power point wherever you go.”
Unemployed UWC-graduates have turned an old golf cart into a clean-energy Power hub
The transformation was led by trainees from UWC’s Energy Storage Innovation Lab. This is part of the South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry. The project forms part of a skills development programme focused on lithium-ion batteries and renewable energy integration.
Image: Shelley Christians
The Volt Cart – from scrap to power hub
The old lead-acid battery was replaced with a locally assembled lithium battery pack, paired with solar roof panels and an onboard inverter. This allows users to plug in appliances anywhere on campus.
UWC Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Robert Balfour, and mascot Cara at the university’s Cricket Oval on Wellness Day this week. Image: Shelley Christians
The country imported about $1 billion worth of batteries in 2023
The project also highlights South Africa’s growing demand for battery skills. As it stands, the country imported about $1 billion worth of batteries in 2023. The cart carries the name of Olivier Kasikalaala. He was the lead engineer on the project and passed away before its completion.
Image: Shelley Christians
After test-driving the vehicle
After test-driving the vehicle, UWC Vice-Chancellor Robert Balfour praised the initiative. Balfour called it a glimpse of South Africa’s clean-energy future. From scrap to power hub, the Volt Cart shows what’s possible when unemployed graduates are given real problems – and real trust – to solve.
Merentia joined the media world in 1996 and in 2001, she took her first steps in the broadcasting world. In her free time, she likes to go on adventures in the city. She also likes to learn new dances, not that she is any good at that.
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