While The EU Is Obsessed With EVs Other Parts Of The World It's Not Even A Blip

It's easy to be wrapped up in your own bubble, and in the automotive world, the UK and Europe have such a strong focus on electrification, that it comes as a shock when you visit another part of the world where EVs aren't the main focus of vehicle development. That's what happened when I visited South Africa to drive the new Volkswagen Amarok.

South Africa is a country of major contrasts, and they are obvious as soon as you leave the airport. The motorway out of Cape Town International is lined by miles of shacks in townships that stretch as far as the eye can see. In some areas, the corrugated buildings, often no bigger than a garden shed, are crammed in so tight that it's hard to believe that people live there. And strung on poles above them all is a rats nest of power cables supplying electricity.