At the 2026 Investing in African Mining Indaba, sustainability and innovation were on full display—not only in the boardrooms, but on the roads. Discovery Green, the event’s mobility partner, in collaboration with BYD and Drive Electric, offered delegates, speakers, and VIPs a fully electric and plug-in hybrid chauffeur transport service, replacing traditional internal combustion engine shuttles with a cleaner, premium alternative.
The fleet deployed at the event was a showcase of BYD’s versatile new-energy vehicles, including 10 BYD Sealion 5 sedans, five BYD Dolphin Surf compact cars, two BYD Shark 6 bakkies, and two BYD Sealion 6 SUVs. This selection provided a balanced mix of executive, passenger, and utility vehicles, capable of meeting the diverse operational needs of a high-demand, time-critical conference.
Dan Ginsberg, Executive Director of Discovery Green, highlighted the practicality of the initiative: “This initiative is less about symbolism and more about execution. We demonstrated that electric mobility can operate reliably in a high-demand, time-critical environment like Mining Indaba. If it works here, it can work in many other corporate and industrial settings across South Africa. The real opportunity lies in scaling electric transport alongside cleaner power over time.”
BYD South Africa played a key role in the deployment, reinforcing its reputation as a leading manufacturer of new-energy vehicles. Steve Chang, Managing Director of BYD South Africa, said, “Through our work with Drive Electric and Discovery Green, we were demonstrating how new-energy vehicles can perform in demanding, real-world business environments. Mining, energy, and mobility are deeply interconnected, and electric transport is central to that future.”
Drive Electric handled all operational aspects of the service, including fleet management, driver operations, and charging logistics throughout the event. CEO Chris O’Connor explained, “Discovery Green approached this as a responsibility to advance cleaner, more sustainable mobility, not just visibility. They wanted a service that was premium, reliable, and measurable in terms of carbon impact, and that is exactly what we delivered.”
The initiative demonstrated that electric mobility can be deployed immediately and at scale, even in complex corporate environments. Beyond Mining Indaba, it represents a scalable model for decarbonising corporate transport and event mobility across Southern Africa, aligning directly with the event’s broader focus on decarbonisation, energy transition, and responsible growth.
