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How to explain the dawn of the continent's EV age

The rich world is falling out of love with Tesla. So why is Africa embracing electric vehicles now?

March 27, 2025

Welcome to Green Rising – We know that the African electric vehicle sector is booming. The signs are everywhere. 

This week, the largest Chinese manufacturer, BYD (“Build Your Dreams”), brought its cheapest vehicle yet to Africa (see above), creating a new reality.

In China, the Seagull costs less than $10,000. African governments will add taxes. Nonetheless, the price of going electric on local roads just dropped dramatically. 

The cheapest EV until now cost $20,000 here. For the first time, electric mobility is price-competitive with fuel cars.

The next big leap is a shift to local production. Several thousand electric motorbikes are already made in Africa every month, driven by venture capital. 

But capacity is about to explode. Our analysis of EV production plants announced and under construction suggests that within a few years Africa will produce half a million electric cars and motorbikes. 

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Tesla made 1.7m cars last year

African production will combine parts-assembly and full local manufacturing, plus local supply chains. This week, Africa’s largest EV maker, Spiro, launched the continent’s first production line for electric motorcycle engines, based in Kenya (see image below). 

The company says it wants to reduce dependency on imports. Understandably. But that hardly explains the frothy EV boom in more than 20 African countries.

Ethiopia aims to establish a local EV battery manufacturing industry. Morocco has already done so, building a partnership with mineral-rich Zambia and DR Congo. Go figure!

Three main reasons explain what would have seemed outlandish even two years ago. They are: China, innovation and – perhaps surprisingly – an existing manufacturing base.

Many of the electric vehicles sold in Africa are from China. They’re either made there or made with Chinese parts or according to Chinese designs.

In part, this reflects China becoming the world’s largest car exporter in recent years. 

In Africa, Chinese companies have built a web of partnerships. For example, Chinese auto giant XPENG is bringing its sedans and SUVs to market in Egypt with the help of Raya Auto.

Why this sudden enthusiasm for partnering with a vehicularly challenged continent? 

Bluntly put, many doors elsewhere are closing for the Chinese. The US and EU are putting up high tariff walls. Africa is seen as an outlet for excess capacity. 

  • Whether this lasts depends on how different African vehicle tastes and needs are. Some local firms believe they can do better than distant Chinese.

  • Startup Zeno is betting it knows the specifics of Africa’s market. It pitches itself to drivers who “deal with rough roads, expensive fuel and unreliable energy”. That’s not the Beijing commuters China builds for. 

The second reason for Africa’s EV dawn is innovation. Simply put, building an EV is simpler than making a fuel vehicle. The simplification of EV manufacturing compared to traditional vehicles encourages local assembly.

  • But that’s not all. Innovation in finance is also relevant. The advent of PAYG (pay-as-you-go) makes vehicles affordable to more people. Electric motorcycles in Africa are often sold on credit. 

  • Drivers repay loans by the day (!) using mobile money. When they fail to pay, finance providers can disable a vehicle remotely until they receive funds, thanks to mobile tech.

A third innovation is battery-swapping. EV ownership is made cheaper when riders don’t have to buy batteries upfront – they pay a fee to swap a fully charged one for a spent one.

Africa is not starting from scratch. That furthermore helps the EV sector, even though few outside the continent are aware of it. 

  • Zambia and DR Congo's dominance in global cobalt mining creates an opportunity for an ecosystem around local battery manufacturing. 

  • Morocco recently became the largest exporter of cars to the EU, thanks to favourable trade deals. 

  • South Africa has long produced its own fuel cars. International giants such as BMW and Volvo use it to venture into the EV market.

Yesterday, Ford announced it shipped the first hybrid Ford Ranger worldwide… and it was made in South Africa. Next stop on the continent’s EV journey: A fully electric version of America’s iconic cowboy car.

Number of the week 

… is by how much Nigerian tree cover has decreased since 2001, so Wild Africa reports, This amounts to 1.25 million hectares of lost forest with potentially devastating consequences for biodiversity, ecosystem services and local livelihoods.

Network corner

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👉 South African entrepreneur Mogale Maleka wins the Global Cleantech innovation award for a sustainable farming breakthrough

EVENTS UPDATE | Thursday 27 March

📆 Attend the Green & Natural Hydrogen Conference in Ethiopia (April 8)

📆 Sign up for CGIAR Science Week held in Kenya (April 7)

📆 Join the East Africa Carbon Markets Forum in Uganda (May 8)

ALSO PLEASE SEE OUR JOB BOARD BELOW

What we’re reading

  • Ancient Seeds: Underground seed banks in South Africa, dating back over 130 years, contain viable fynbos seeds that can germinate if land is restored. Research says these natural soil storage areas act as time capsules, preserving seeds of rare and endangered plant species. Fynbos seeds remain dormant until triggered by smoke or heat from wildfires. This discovery offers hope for restoring indigenous vegetation across the Cape. Only 5% of local fynbos is conserved and just 1% remains intact. South Africa is committed to restore 30% of degraded ecosystems by 2030. (The Conversation)

  • Cattle radio: Radio frequency identification technology is helping track feed intake by placing radio tags on animals. This breakthrough allows precise consumption monitoring, helping reduce cattle farming emissions. The advancement is crucial since cattle are the primary agricultural source of greenhouse gases, with a single cow belching about 220 pounds of methane annually, gases 28 times more potent in warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. (The Cool Down)

  • Kaolin power: Kaolin clay is offering African farmers a powerful tool to combat climate change impacts. When powdered, mixed with water, and sprayed onto crops, this naturally occurring white clay forms a protective coating that reduces heat stress, improves water conservation, and deters pests. Research in Italy showed kaolin particle films reduced canopy temperature in olive trees, while 81% of Brazilian coffee growers reported benefits from kaolin application. (Farmers Review Africa)

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