Electric vehicles (EVs) will soon be substantially less expensive than traditional combustion engine vehicles thanks to advances in battery technology and manufacturing, as well as economies of scale.

That is according to Dr Carlo van de Weijer, general manager of the Netherlands-based Eindhoven Artificial Intelligence Systems Institute, who spoke at the recently ended SingularityU South Africa Summit 2024 in Johannesburg.

During his address, "The Future of Mobility: How Africa Moves into the Future," Van de Weije highlighted his vision for how Africa might use emerging technology to leapfrog transportation and create a more sustainable future.

“The electric vehicle will be, by far, the cheaper option, and therefore it will win," he said.

He went on to explain that EVs might help and stabilise the power grid by strategically charging during off-peak hours, allaying fears about their impact on energy infrastructure in a country like South Africa, which has had many power outages in recent decades.