Bolt has expanded its electric vehicle category by launching a service in Johannesburg. This occurred five months after the launch in Cape Town. The vehicles will be owned by an association representing metered taxi operators and on-demand ride services.
On Wednesday, the company announced the launch of the service in collaboration with the South African Metered Taxi and On-Demand Ride Services Association (Samtea), which it described as affiliated with the South African National Taxi Council (Santaco), as well as BYD and other unstated industry stakeholders. The company aims to reach 500 electric vehicles in South Africa by December 2026.
According to Bolt representative Roman Sutton, Samtea will own and manage the fleet of electric vehicles operating on the Bolt platform. Furthermore, the association plans to invest in increasing the fleet over time, thereby supporting wider adoption of electric mobility and creating new opportunities for its members and drivers. In Cape Town, the functions of vehicle supply and management are handled by the partner YugoRide.
The vehicles in Johannesburg are BYD Dolphin Surf models, which were locally introduced in September 2025 with a price starting from 339,900 Rand. This category is already operational in Sandton, serving routes to O.R. Tambo International Airport and parts of East Johannesburg; the fare cost here is slightly higher than in the standard Bolt category, Sutton noted.
Bolt does not disclose the exact number of electric vehicles on the road. Sutton stated that the company does not publish fleet data by city, but the expansion is happening in partnership with local fleet operators. Bolt, which began operations in South Africa as Taxify in 2016, reported in May that it has invested 3 billion Rand in the country over the last decade. Sutton also mentioned that drivers have earned over 42.3 billion Rand on the platform since 2016.
From Enemies to Partners
Samtea Chairman Sibongiseni Shange acknowledged the complex history between the two sectors. He noted that when the market experienced turmoil and different parts of the sector reacted differently, metered taxis and on-demand ride services were viewed as competitors. However, through continuous interaction, they began to find common ground and realize that many industry problems affect everyone, including drivers.
Samtea is not new to Bolt. EWN reported in October 2025 that the association represents Bolt, Teksi Ride, and Shuma Ride. In July 2025, when Samtea and Gauteng E-hailing Services united to promote formalization, Shange then stated about the two sectors: 'We were previously known as enemies.'
The broader history was worse than just 'competitors.' In 2016, a group of metered taxi drivers attacked the then Gauteng Minister of Transport, Ismaila Wadi, after he announced the licensing of Uber drivers. In 2017, metered taxi drivers blocked highways around O.R. Tambo International Airport in protest against Uber.
Hostility has not completely disappeared. In August 2025, two on-demand ride service drivers were shot, and their cars were burned, with suspicion falling on the taxi industry. Santaco denied involvement, but in October 2025, committed to working 'harmoniously' with on-demand ride drivers after the Amendment Act to the National Land Transport Act recognized ride-hailing services as a form of public transport.
On Wednesday, Shange emphasized that being part of a formalized industry is necessary to ensure sector sustainability and provide more reliable protection to operators.
Uber launched its electric service in Johannesburg in November 2025, using 70 vehicles from Valternative Energy, and promised to increase the fleet to 350 by the end of January. By the end of March, they had over 120 cars. Uber declined to state the current figure at TechCentral this month but reported that the service is 'currently available in Sandton and surrounding areas.'
