Category: Vehicles & Transportation
US signs MOU with DRC and Zambia for Cobalt and Copper mining and processing for Electric Vehicle batteries
The US department of state released a signed Memorandum of Understanding with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia on electric vehicle battery value chains. The document was signed on December 13, 2022, during the Africa Leaders Summit and states DRC and Zambia’s involvement in the production of Electric Vehicle batteries. DRC currently holds a […]
NRZ suspends train commuters stating ZUPCO owes the operator huge debts. Minibus associations mushroom
ZUPCO made a comeback in 2019 and it came in with a bang. A new fleet of buses and some of the lowest fares on the market. Also with the help of the SI 83 of 2020 to have all commuter operators either get registered with ZUPCO or get off the streets, it almost immediately […]
You shall not pass a tollgate with expired vehicle license disks says Zinara
Zinara has put out a statement informing motorists that they will not be allowed to pass tollgates if their vehicle license is not up to date. This directive is said to take effect on the 1st of October 2022. The statement reads: PUBLIC NOTICE The Zimbabwe National Road Administration would like to advise the motoring […]
Bulawayo startup tackles ride-hailing using different revenue model that’s cheaper for drivers
Zimbabwe may be a small country but you often find that we have vastly different experiences in different locations. Those who don’t travel much will be surprised to hear that the Harare experience can feel worlds apart from even the second largest city, Bulawayo’s. Apparently, the ride hailing industry in Bulawayo is not what it […]
Second-hand car importers to pay USD146 inspection fee (plus duty)
Anyone in Zimbabwe looking to import a second-hand car will now need to pay ZAR2,310.00 (or USD146) as part of a roadworthiness inspection. This starts on the 1st of June 2022 and the firm that was contracted to do this by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce is the EAA Company Limited. The statement by […]
ZIMOCO’s 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio. The very first in the country
So… the folks over at ZIMOCO decided to give me what I am calling a very late birthday gift by offering us the first test drive of the first Alfa Romeo Stelvio to hit Zimbabwe. And at this point, I should mention that I am a massive Alfa fanboy and this was my first experience […]
SA EV company Agilitee has brought its electric scooters to Zim
South African-based car manufacturer Agilitee which is set to bring a new range of electric vehicles to Zimbabwe as well as set up an assembly plant, has delivered its first consignment of electric scooters in Harare. The Scooter which is called the Agilitee LoadEx and we took a trip to Agilitee/ZimTorque’s offices in Harare to […]
EVCA/BYD partners Zuva for public EV charging stations
The EV revolution lives and the first big name in the space in Zimbabwe’s public EV charging network is Zuva. In a post on their Facebook page, Zuva announced that it has partnered up with EVCA (Electric Vehicle Centre Africa) to provide charging stations for Electric Vehicles at their service stations starting with the Zuva […]
Toyota Zimbabwe was flexing the GD6 Fortuner at ZITF 2022
We couldn’t leave the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair ZITF 2022, without paying a visit to what is probably one of the most famous car brands in Zimbabwe, Toyota. The folks over at Toyota Zimbabwe brought with them three cars, the very popular Toyota Fortuner, the 1.8L Corolla Quest and finally the very interesting Corolla Cross. […]
AMTEC brought rugged trucks and tractors to ZITF2022
With almost 70 years of experience in the automotive space locally, AMTEC was definitely at the top of our list for stands we were itching to have a look at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF2022). And we weren’t disappointed, the team from AMTEC were kind enough to give us a tour of their stand […]
ZIMOCO brought its very best to ZITF2022, Merc, Haval, GWM, Jeep & more
Day 1 of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair was a little lacklustre. Most of the exhibitors were still in various stages of setting up their stalls and installations. However, by the time Day-2 rolled around things were truly up and running and in our travels, through the ZITF2022 exhibition, we were given a tour of […]
New fuel prices: It’s either ZUPCO, electric cars or we go on foot
I am not going to lie, I seriously contemplated cutting off a few friends who live beyond city limits when I saw the new fuel prices. Two price increases in the space in less than a week is ridiculous. But such is the interconnected world we live in and the pressures that come from events […]
ZINARA is “rebranding” & has allocated $17 billion to road rehabilitation
The Zimbabwe National Roads Administration (ZINARA) today held a press conference where it announced that it was undergoing a rebrand and will be allocating ZWL$17 billion towards road rehabilitation. The breakdown of the 2022 allocation is as follows: ROAD AUTHORITY ALLOCATION (ZWL$) DEPARTMENT OF ROADS HQ 6 337 065 357 DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT FUND HQ 4 […]
ZINARA releases new vehicle licencing fees
The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) today published the new vehicle licencing fees as was stated in Statutory Instrument (SI) 29 of 2022. Statutory Instrument 29 of 2022. CAP. 13:14 Vehicle Registration and licensing (Amendment) Regulations. 2022 (No. 23) It is hererby notified that the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Development has in terms of […]
ZINARA looking to ease tollgate payments issues with Frequent Travellers Express Pass FTEP
The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) recently announced the launch of a new service called the Frequent Travellers Express Pass (FTEP) program. The initiative is there to give those who use the same tollgate(s) a means to expedite passage as they go about their business. ZINARA’s FTEP essentially is a pre-payment facility. The program is […]
Zim bound car maker says it has developed a self-charging electric car
Agilitee is a name that the Techzim faithful will be familiar with because towards the middle of last year the South African-based car manufacturer announced that it was going to be building an assembly plant for electric vehicles in Zimbabwe. Well… the company is back in the news again saying that it has launched what […]
How to avoid scammers when buying vehicles abroad
The internet has made it simple and seamless to visit an online retail store, browse through its goods, add one or two products of your choice to a shopping cart, and click to buy. But with simplicity comes bigger challenges, topping the list is security concerns. Zimbabwe is no longer a car assembling country and […]
A Kenyan startup is converting buses to run on electricity
Opibus is a Kenyan-Swedish startup that is converting conventional internal combustion engine vehicles to run on battery power. The company has a wide range of conversions ranging from a Land Cruiser 70-Series and motorcycles all the way to electric buses. It is the latter that is the key here because transport (cars trains, freight, planes […]
Fastjet confirms BYO flight’s return to HRE & Harare Airport has no radar?
Fastjet Zimbabwe has issued a statement on Flight FN8441 that returned to Harare from Johsua Nkomo International Airport because the facility didn’t have electricity. Fastjet’s statement reads as follows: Fastjet Zimbabwe confirms that their flight FN8441, 26 January 2022, from Harare to Bulawayo, was unable to continue to Bulawayo’s JM Nkomo International Airport due to […]
Fastjet flight forced to return to Hre after Byo airport had no ZESA?
This is the most “Zimbabwe” thing I have heard in some time, according to a report by New Zimbabwe, Fastjet Flight FN 8441 was unable to land at Joshua Nkomo International Airport in Bulawayo due to the facility not having ZESA. Apparently, there was no backup generator for the aircraft to make a safe landing […]
If your car hasn’t fully cleared customs, ZIMRA is giving you till 31/01/22
The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) has, in a circular, announced that it is giving members of the public who have cars that haven’t properly cleared customs till the end of the month to do so. ZIMRA’s statement on car customs clearance reads as follows: Following the encouraging and positive responses to Public Notice No. 105 […]
Not changing car ownership will mean no insurance payout
Going through the change of ownership process for a car is a chore that forces many to put it on the back burner. Well, according to Act No. 7 of 2021 Finance Act, if you do not put your name on the registration book your insurance company can, by, law refuse to honour the insurance […]
Change of vehicle ownership fees for second-hand cars have been increased
According to Act No. 7 of 2021 Finance Act, the Special Excise Duty or rates for second-hand car change of ownership have been increased. “With effect from the 1st January, 2022, the Schedule to the Customs and Excise Act [Chapter 23:02] is repealed and substituted by” via Vertias Zimbabwe 2022 Change of Ownership Rates for […]
You can now collect number plates at the post office
The Central Vehicle Registry (CVR), through the Ministry of Transport, has announced that it has partnered with Zimpost allowing Zimbabweans to collect their number plates at Chitungwiza, Causeway, Southerton and Bulawayo Main post offices. @MinistryofTID is pleased to inform motorists that Number plates are available and easily accessible at the following Zimpost offices Chitungwiza, Causeway, […]
ZINARA forgot to match toll gate fees to the official rate, now it’s your problem
The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) has announced that it, for several months, didn’t factor in the auction rate to the toll gate fees. According to a report by The Herald, the national road authority suddenly realised this as we are entering the busy Christmas period. “Toll fees, set in US dollars, but converted at […]
Car review: the all-electric BYD T3, a minivan that packs a punch
Electric Vehicle Centre Africa (EVCA) is a local company that deals in electric cars and solar systems. The company recently invited us out to test drive the BYD T3, an all-electric powered mini-van. BYD T3 features Power 100KW Torque 180Nm Range 300Km 0-100 13s Top Speed 100km/h (capped for the demo unit) AC Charge Time […]
Potholes, Honda Fit drivers, service fees & all the headaches of owning a car in Zim
Owning a car in Zim is a bit of an extreme sport. There are no easy breaks because importing one can be a nightmare and getting one locally comes at a ridiculous premium. After getting your car you’ll have to contend with the cost of that first service. This can be a pleasurable experience if […]
Zim founded car maker is making the shift to electric vehicles in 2022
Mureza Auto, a South African-based Zimbabwean-founded car maker has announced that it will be making the plunge to electric vehicles starting from 2022. We are happy to announce our plans to go full electric in 2022. This will start with our T1 (T-One) Concept which will ride on the AEV01 modular platform developed in partnership […]
ZUPCO & NRZ commuter train route launched in Bulawayo
According to Information Secretary Nick Mangwana, the NRZ and ZUPCO partnership is now running a route in Bulawayo. BULAWAYO NRZ-ZUPCO Cowdry Park commuter train has been launched this evening in Bulawayo. The train services will help ease the transport challenges commuters have been facing. #NDS1#EDTheGameChanger — Nick Mangwana (@nickmangwana) November 8, 2021 BULAWAYO NRZ-ZUPCO Cowdry […]
A local mobility startup is offering electric vehicles on credit
Electric Vehicles are the future whether we like it or not. A petrol head like myself has had to bend the knee and accept that the future is electric mainly because many of the manufacturers are ending combustion engine vehicle production in the 2040s. This might be something that will take time to be a […]