South Africa’s Zimi Raises USD 2.6 M To Scale EV Fleet Infrastructure

South Africans EV infrastructure startup Zimi has raised a ZAR 50 M (USD 2.6 M) round led by the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA), with participation from Keyo Ventures and angel investors.

Founded in 2021 by Michael Maas and Stefan Nel, Zimi offers an integrated EV-as-a-service platform that combines electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, solar energy systems, and energy management tools for commercial fleet operators.

The company plans to deploy around 200 charging stations and support the rollout of approximately 2,000 electric vehicles over the next 18 months.

Zimi’s bundled model converts fleet costs into predictable operating expenses while targeting up to 90% reductions in energy costs per kilometre. The funding follows DBSA’s earlier investment in Zero Carbon Charge and reflects its broader strategy of backing South Africa’s EV infrastructure ecosystem.