Africa at a crossroads over global EV chargers war

From the newsletter

Egypt has announced that only the European standard CCS Type 2 chargers are permitted in the country, effectively picking their side in a war pitting global EV producers namely the EU, US, Japan and China. While EVs from all these places have been trickling into Africa, the majority of African countries are yet to decide which plugs they should adopt. 

• China’s GB/T is the most common charging plug in the world, estimated to be millions globally, mainly in China. Major Chinese auto firms like BYD, SAIC, Chery, and Geely use it. The EU’s CCS Type 2 plug is also used on millions of chargers globally. It is supported by major European carmakers namely BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and the US’s Ford. 

• Tesla’s standard is also a common plug especially in North America where it supports hundreds of thousands of chargers. Tesla’s EVs are made to use this plug. Japan’s CHAdeMO is also a popular plug and is used by its leading manufacturers Nissan, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Subaru.

More details

• German car manufacturers Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and BMW, who use the EU’s CCS Type 2 charging standard, currently dominate Egypt’s EV market. For instance, the trio contributed 42% of Egypt’s electric car sales in January 2025, highlighting their growing influence in the North African country. But they are now facing a major threat from Chinese automakers such as BYD and Zeekr. 

• Egypt’s ban on other charger types is thus a blow to Chinese and Japanese carmakers who have started making inroads into Egypt, especially China’s BYD. It means that it will be harder for car owners that do not support the EU’s CCS chargers to struggle to charge in public.

• However, it is worth noting that not all Chinese and Japanese vehicles will be affected by the ban. This is because some of these vehicles are manufactured for the European market, which means they support the EU chargers. Further, adapters can be used to charge GB/T standard vehicles using a CCS charger. 

• Egypt’s move to regulate its EV charging ecosystem is the first in Africa. Standardised charging protocols ensure that EVs from different manufacturers can use the same charging stations. This reduces compatibility issues and makes EV ownership more convenient for users. 

• Concerns over plug types are however expected to reduce over time as many EV chargers are now designed to accommodate multiple plug types. These are often called multi-standard chargers and are equipped with various connectors to cater to different EV models. This flexibility ensures greater compatibility and convenience for EV users. 

• While the African EV charging market is still small, it is experiencing significant growth and is projected to reach $256.53 million by 2030, with a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 30.3% from 2023 to 2030. Further, while the majority of existing charging stations in Africa are grid-tied and are mainly located in major towns, some companies like Charge (South Africa) are investing in off-grid charging stations 

Our take

• With vehicles from the EU being compatible with CCS2, this decision may favor European EV manufacturers in the Egyptian market. At the same time, it could create entry barriers for EVs from the US, Japan, and China unless adapters or modifications are provided.

• The lack of a unified charging standard across African nations could hinder cross-border EV adoption and infrastructure development. For example, while Egypt and South Africa align with CCS2, other countries may lean toward Chinese (GB/T) or US (NACS) standards based on trade relationships and economic interests.

• Egypt's move highlights the urgent need for the African Union or regional economic blocs like ECOWAS, COMESA and SADC to establish a unified EV charging standard. Such standardisation would facilitate seamless EV adoption across the continent and attract investments in infrastructure.