Through these engagements, the committee has identified the need for improved industry-wide data sharing relating to EV claims, vehicle population statistics, and incident trends across the transport, insurance, emergency response, and regulatory value chain.

SAIA has been requested to provide an aggregated industry view of:

• EV-related insurance claims trends,
• Fire-related EV incidents and associated risk factors,
• Post-incident management approaches adopted by insurers, and
• Safety and precautionary measures relating to:
  • Towing of EVs,
  • Salvage operations, and
  • Storage and containment of damaged EVs.

To support these objectives, SAIA has established an NEV Task Team to investigate the evolving risk and insurance landscape associated with new energy vehicles. The task team will further explore the feasibility of developing an aggregated data collation and analysis framework for NEV-related claims and incident reporting.

The initiative aims to improve industry understanding of emerging EV risks, strengthen preparedness and response capabilities, and support evidence-based policy and infrastructure planning.

The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL), together with the National Department of Transport (NDOT), has also expressed interest in understanding the insured NEV population and the broader insurance landscape. This is intended to assist government in evaluating potential fiscal exposure and liability risks in cases involving uninsured vehicles or significant third-party damages arising from NEV-related incidents.

Through collaborative engagement and data-driven insights, SAIA aims to support the development of a safer, more informed, and resilient NEV ecosystem in South Africa.