BYD steals the thunder of German carmakers in Egypt

May 13, 2025

Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer BYD has become the largest EV seller in Egypt, surpassing German giants Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and BMW that have long controlled the market. Official data from the Egyptian General Traffic Department shows the carmaker sold 104 electric cars in April 2025, more than any other company.   

  • BYD’s rapid rise in the Egyptian car market mirrors its trajectory across the continent. The company’s growth is fuelled by its lower pricing, undercutting its competitors.  

  • The company now commands 17.4% of Egypt’s electric car market, but this is expected to increase further as BYD continues to introduce new models, including some of the world’s cheapest EVs. 

  • Our take: BYD’s surge in popularity shows the critical role that price will continue to play in the adoption of EVs… Read more (2 min)

The majority of people in Africa cannot afford to purchase vehicles upfront, forcing them to rely on loans. This is true for EVs, whose prices are higher than internal combustion engine vehicles meaning the cost of financing is crucial for their uptake. Mobility Rising has analysed the cost of EV loans in three major economies – Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa.  

  • In our analysis, Kenya has the highest interest rates, mainly due to the high rates charged by asset lenders. It is followed by Nigeria, which has the second highest interest rates while South Africa has the cheapest loans.

  • In all three countries, the tenure of the loans ranges from one year to five years, enabling borrowers to spread their instalments over a defined period of time which lessens the repayment load (but racks up interest).  

  • Our take: While costlier than bank credit, asset finance loans will play a pivotal role in enabling millions of Africans to purchase EVs… Read more (2 min)

Electric vehicles may be gaining traction in Africa, but without smarter infrastructure, they risk stalling the continent’s electric mobility dreams, warns Ayodeji Stephen, an environment fellow at UNEP. The real game-changer, he argues, is smart grid technology, where digital systems can optimise electricity flow and stabilise overloaded grids. 

  • Mr Ayodeji highlights that smart grids are catalysts for economic and climate resilience. During peak charging hours, such as evenings at bus depots, smart demand response tools can shift loads to off-peak times, helping to prevent blackouts and system stress. 

  • He underscores Africa’s $100 billion annual infrastructure financing gap, which limits the pace of smart grid development and thus hinders EV adoption. He believes targeted smart grid pilot programmes in cities like Nairobi and Lusaka could deliver a digitally enabled, EV-ready highway network by 2035.

  • To read more, click here (3 min)

Kahushik Burman, CEO of Spiro, trying the Davido Collectible model yesterday

Events

🗓️ Book your slot at Africa in Transition in Belgium (May 20)

🗓️ Register for an EV webinar hosted by Africa E-Mobility Week (May 29)

🗓️ Prepare early for AIDC EV Summit (July 17)

Jobs

💰 Apply for Sales Administrator role at Mogo (Uganda)

🔋 Join battery management team at MAX as an attendant (Nigeria)

📈 Become part of Spiro’s team as a Sales Executive (Uganda)

Various 

🏍️ Spiro launches two electric motorcycle models

🏅 MellowVans among top 9 finalists of AfricaTech Awards

🏍 Ampersand unveils upgraded electric motorcycle named "Alpha"

Seen on LinkedIn 

Owiny Hakim, ESG Manager at eBee Uganda, says, “We have become adept at using complex terminology that inadvertently overlooks vulnerable communities in climate discussions. To truly tackle climate change, we need to focus on transforming human behaviors, the root of the problem lies in our actions, and so does the solution.”