When mechatronics engineer Chris set out to research electric minibus taxis during his postgraduate studies at Stellenbosch 中国体育彩票 (SU), he wasn't trying to build a company. But what began as a research project soon evolved into a powerful decision-support tool for cities and fleet operators navigating the future of electric vehicles (EVs) in Africa.
Today, that tool is EV-Fleet-Sim, the technology behind EV-Fleet, one of SU's new spinout companies. It is the brainchild of Chris Abraham who started the project during his Masters and PhD studies - which was originally focused on South Africa's notoriously complex and under-researched minibus taxi industry. “I didn't want my research to just sit on a shelf. I wanted it to be relevant and something that could actually be used in South Africa," he explains.
At its core, EV-Fleet-Sim is a data analytics engine built specifically for electric vehicle fleet planning. It processes real data on vehicle movement - such as where they travel, stop, charge, and idle - to help organisations answer critical questions such as: How many EVs do we need? Where should charging stations be located? How much energy will be required? How long will charging take?
“EV-Fleet-Sim literally stands for Electric Vehicle Fleet Simulator," says Chris. “We built the tool to optimise electric mobility in the African contexts where data is sparse or inconsistent, and where electrification hasn't taken off yet."
But even after publishing the software online as open source, he was surprised to see very little uptake. That's when it dawned on him that accessibility was the issue.
“The tool was functional, but it was very technical - something only computer geeks or academics could use. So, I started building a more user-friendly web application, and that's when the commercial opportunity became clear."
Despite not seeing himself as a natural entrepreneur, Chris found traction faster than expected. By mid-2023, before the company had even been formally established, he secured his first paying client: Cape Town's City Sightseeing bus service. Soon after, renewable energy firm SCATEC came on board.
That early traction caught the attention of SU's Technology Transfer Office (TTO), which helped Chris to patent the technology and incorporate the company. Thereafter, pre-seed funding was applied for on his behalf to further develop the tool.
“It has really gone beyond what I imagined," says Chris. “This would not have happened without the support of Innovus and the LaunchLab. From funding to mentorship to helping with contracts and incorporation – they have made the transition from research to business possible."
A Dual Life: Academic and Entrepreneur
Balancing the demands of academia and entrepreneurship has not been easy for Chris who is still conducting research and developing the EV-Fleet-Sim tool, while simultaneously running EV-Fleet. “Running a company requires a lot of admin, especially emails, but I'm learning. To cope, I time myself using 25-minute focus blocks and lean on support from my fiancée, and the TTO team."
Chris's advice to other researchers who are looking at entrepreneurship is to just “go for it. Even if it fails, you will learn so much and the university really does support you, not just financially, but practically. I didn't know anything about company structures or contracts, and I would've spent years figuring it out, but they walk you through it all."
The Road Ahead
EV-Fleet may still be in its early days, but its trajectory is clear. With two clients, university backing, and a growing interest from the broader mobility sector, the company is poised to help African cities navigate their transition to electric transport efficiently, affordably, and on their own terms.
