1. What inspired you to start Everlectric, and what gap did you see in South Africa’s mobility market?
Everlectric was born out of a desire to solve a real problem in South Africa’s logistics industry. I wanted to demonstrate that logistics businesses could remain profitable while achieving their sustainability goals. We recognised that many logistics companies were struggling with rising fuel costs and limited options to decarbonise their fleets. It was clear that the industry was ready for innovation, but what was missing was a partner who could make the transition to electric mobility simple, practical, and financially viable. Everlectric was created to fill that gap.
2. How does Everlectric’s leasing model make the transition to electric fleets more accessible for businesses?
Our model removes the three biggest barriers: capital cost, charging complexity, and operational risk. Instead of buying vehicles outright, clients lease fully managed electric fleets bundled with charging infrastructure, maintenance, and telematics. This “EV-as-a-Service” approach lets businesses focus on logistics, while we take care of the technology, charging, and uptime. The best part is that the cost per kilometer is already lower than diesel.
3. What has been the biggest challenge in driving EV adoption locally, and how have you addressed it?
The biggest challenge is confidence in range, reliability, and total cost of ownership. South Africa doesn’t yet have the scale of public charging or local manufacturing that Europe or China does, so trust must be built through real-world data. We’ve overcome this by deploying connected fleets that have already travelled over 8 million electric kilometres, saving about 800,000 litres of diesel and over 8,000 tons of CO₂. Proof drives belief.
4. Everlectric integrates vehicles, charging, and finance. How important is this ecosystem approach to your success?
It’s everything. The value isn’t in the vehicle alone; it’s in the system integration. By combining vehicles, charging, renewable energy, telematics, and financing under one platform, we reduce risk and create operational predictability. This integration is our moat: clients rely on our connected backend to manage fleets efficiently and achieve both cost and carbon savings.
5. You’ve worked in corporate finance and now lead a startup. How did that shift shape your leadership style?
Being a dealmaker taught me how to see opportunity but manage risk, it taught me negotiation, governance, and how to think long-term. Entrepreneurship taught me agility, resilience, and the importance of people. I now lead with a balance of both data-driven decisions grounded in humanity. At a startup, you can’t hide behind hierarchy; your leadership must be consistent and authentic.
6. As a woman leading in the clean mobility space, what has your experience been like, and what progress still needs to happen?
It’s both rewarding and demanding. You’re often the only woman in the room, so representation becomes both a responsibility and a platform. The progress I want to see is structural inclusion, not just visibility. I also want to see access to capital, business, and mentorship for women founders. Diversity shouldn’t be a checkbox; it should be a lived phenomenon.
7. You often speak about building businesses around being ‘lekker people’. What does that mean in practice at Everlectric?
“Being lekker people” means doing business with integrity, kindness, and excellence. It’s a cultural anchor for us, and we have fun doing what we do. How we treat people matters as much as what we deliver. It shows up in how we support our teams, how we collaborate with clients, and how we respond to challenges. A business that’s purpose-driven but also pleasant to deal with creates lasting partnerships. Everlectric has the most “lekker” people!
8. How do you balance commercial success with environmental and social impact?
We often say to our clients that they should go electric on their fleet when doing so will yield operational, technical, and financial efficiencies. We designed our model so that impact is built into profitability. Every electric kilometre we drive saves emissions and reduces clients’ operating costs. Our owner-driver model also empowers small entrepreneurs to own EV assets, creating jobs and inclusion in the green economy. When impact and income align, scale follows naturally.
9. What lessons from your previous roles at Deloitte, IDC, or Momentum Metropolitan have proved most valuable as a founder?
Three stand out: From Deloitte: the discipline of numbers, you can’t lead what you can’t measure. From IDC: the power of development finance in catalysing transformation. From Momentum Metropolitan: how culture and customer experience drive trust. Those experiences shaped how I blend commercial thinking with developmental intent.
10. What excites you most about the future of sustainable mobility in Africa?
Africa has the rare opportunity to leapfrog legacy systems. We can build mobility solutions around renewable energy, digital connectivity, and local manufacturing from the start. The convergence of clean tech, fintech, and logistics will redefine how goods and people move across the continent efficiently, affordably, and sustainably. Africa is the fastest-growing continent, and clean mobility will be the enabler for the movement of goods and services.
11. You’ve received several awards for leadership and innovation. Which recognition has meant the most to you, and why?
Every recognition is humbling; the awards celebrate impact over title, which means the most to me. Awards affirm that what we’re doing is shifting perceptions of what’s possible in Africa. The Black Management Forum award, for instance, reminded me that visibility matters that young women can look at my journey and see that it’s possible to lead with purpose and power.
12. What advice would you give young professionals, especially women, who want to lead in tech or sustainability?
Don’t wait for perfect conditions. They rarely come. Start before you feel ready. Build competence, but also build courage. The world needs your perspective, not yours or anyone’s permission. Lastly, find environments like Everlectric that value both your intelligence and your authenticity.
Short Bio:
Ndia Magadagela is the CEO and co-founder of Everlectric, South Africa’s first commercial electric vehicle leasing company to package international EVs, charging infrastructure, and innovative finance solutions. Under her leadership, Everlectric helps businesses transition their fleets from fossil fuels to clean energy in a way that significantly reduces emissions while improving operational efficiency.
A Chartered Accountant with a B.Compt (Hons) in Accounting Sciences, Ndia brings deep expertise in fundraising, dealmaking, and corporate strategy to her role. Before starting Everlectric in 2020, she honed her skills at Deloitte, the Industrial Development Corporation, and Momentum Metropolitan, where she specialised in due diligence investigations, transaction structuring, and mergers and acquisitions. She is also a director at Blackslope, along with Everlectric’s other co-founders, where she consults on innovation, strategic growth, and corporate venturing.
Beyond her professional life, she’s a passionate mentor, wife, and mother who leads with heart and a commitment to creating a more inclusive, sustainable future.
