Online Reporter
Senior Reporter
Regulations governing the use, sale and importation of electric vehicles and charging stations have been set, as Government seeks to ensure their safety against the backdrop of their increased use on the country’s roads, given their energy efficiency.
Energy and Power Development Minister, Edgar Moyo, in consultation with the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority announced the regulations.
“The objectives of these regulations are for the promotion of electrical safety in the installation and usage of electric vehicle charging stations. All EV charging stations must be designed, installed, tested, certified, inspected and connected in such a way as to ensure the safety of the users and the public in accordance with the Electricity (Public Safety) Regulations, 2018, published in Statutory Instrument 177 of 2018,” read the regulations.
“These regulations shall apply to all importers and retailers, contractors, installers, and owners of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations.”
It says all electric vehicle charging stations must be supplied from a dedicated final sub-circuit; and be supplied from a sub-circuit protected by a voltage-independent residual current device (RCD) providing personal protection that is compatible with a charging supply for an electric vehicle.
There will also be a need to provide an earth continuity monitoring system that disconnects the supply in the event that the earthing connection to the vehicle becomes ineffective. This monitoring system must fail to safety.
The charging stations must also protect against the overload of the charging supply fittings, and provide protection against the overload of the incoming supply fittings.
“No EV charging station may provide or be connected to an alternating current (AC) charging supply that— (a) is not at standard low voltage; and (b) is not at a nominal frequency of 50 Hertz; and (c) all functions of an EV charging station must fail to safety,” reads the regulations.
“Any person offering for sale or supplying an EV charging station must have, and must make available to the Authority, purchaser, potential purchaser or installer a supplier declaration of conformity— (a) in respect of an EV charging station complying with IEC standards, the relevant test reports, approvals or other document as specified by the Authority,” the regulations read.
“Any person installing an EV charging station must verify, keep, and attach to the Certificate of Compliance records that the EV charging station has been designed, constructed and labelled to be compatible with a supply of standard low voltage at a nominal frequency of 50 Hertz.”
The regulations also provide for penalties for breach of the regulations.
“Any person who contravenes this section shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level five or to imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months or to both such fine and such imprisonment,” reads the regulations.
Electric vehicles have become a common sight on the country’s roads given their energy efficiency and environmentally friendly characteristics.
