A motley crew of global car giants eyes Africa

April 03, 2025

Chongqing Changan Automobile, one of China’s top motor vehicle manufacturers, will begin selling vehicles in South Africa in the fourth quarter of 2025. Saudi Arabian company Jameel Motors will be Changan’s distributor in Africa’s largest automotive market. Jameel will distribute Changan’s SUVs, pick-ups and sedans, as well as its Deepal EV range.

  • Changan's entry into South Africa strengthens China's growing presence in Africa's automotive market, joining other Chinese brands like BYD, Chery, SAIC, Geely and Great Wall Motors. This reflects China's strategic push to dominate emerging markets with low-cost vehicles.  

  • Africa's appeal is growing as a market for both traditional and electric vehicles. The continent is attracting not only Chinese automakers but also brands from other countries globally. For instance, Russia's largest automaker AvtoVAZ, known for its Lada brand, is targeting Nigeria with plans to establish a local assembly plant. 

  • Our take: South Africa is receiving the most attention from global automakers launching their vehicles in Africa. It is thus surprising that investment in EV manufacturing has not been forthcoming… Read more (2 min)

European venture capital firm Speedinvest, with backing from Google’s Africa Investment Fund and Equator, an Africa-focused climate tech fund, pooled $5 million to invest in Leta, a Nairobi-based logistics software-as-a-service provider in March. It comes more than two years after Leta raised a $3 million pre-seed from local investors in November 2022.  

  • The trio have previously invested in Africa’s mobility sector, which continues to attract significant funding from investors. In 2021, Speedinvest led a $23 million investment in Moove, a mobility fintech company that provides vehicle financing for ride-hailing drivers, leveraging alternative credit-scoring technology based on driver performance data.

  • In the same year, Google backed SafeBoda, a motorcycle ride-hailing and delivery platform operating in Uganda and Nigeria, with a $50 million investment. Equator in March 2025 also closed a $55 million fund to support early-stage climate tech startups. Roam Electric, a Kenyan electric vehicle manufacturer, is one of Equator’s portfolio companies.  

  • Our take: The track record of logistics startups in Africa is worrisome, as a good number of them have gone under despite receiving millions of dollars in investor funding… Read more (2 min)

Training roles dominate our weekly job list

This week our job board features 30 diverse roles. East Africa dominates the listings with Advanced Mobility Africa alone accounting for 28 positions. The majority of these opportunities are seeking trainers, followed by roles in mobility programme sales. Additional listings include positions in material handling and repair and maintenance.

  • Kenya’s first electric mobility centre of excellence, Advanced Mobility Africa, is expanding its footprint across East Africa following the successful training of over 220 individuals. Building on its strong foundation in Kenya, the organisation now aims to scale its e-mobility training programmes regionally.

  • While other regions slow this week, East Africa's surge in training roles signals a strong emphasis on workforce development, particularly in the growing electric mobility and transport safety sectors.

  • Click here to explore this week’s opportunities.

JumlaJumla delivery worker on an errand using an electric bicycle in Dar es Salaam

Events

🗓️ Plan for the Annual E-Mobility Stakeholders Conference/Expo in Kenya (May 5)

🗓️ Mark your calendar for South Africa Auto Week (Oct 1)

🗓️ Register for East Africa Carbon Markets Forum happening in Uganda (May 8)

Various 

🚲 First batch of SHOVeBIKE e-bikes land in South Africa from Netherlands

🚘 BYD launches Sealion SUVs and a Shark bakkie in South Africa

⚡ Namibia’s capital seeks to introduce EV charging infrastructure

Seen on LinkedIn 

Cyrus Atuti, former Operations and Fleet Manager at eWaka Mobility, highlights how logistics companies are overlooking hidden revenue opportunities by switching to electric vehicles and leveraging AI to generate carbon credits.