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- Can African countries maintain their steep EV growth curve?
Can African countries maintain their steep EV growth curve?
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 | The number of electric cars imported by Burkina Faso from China grew 60 times in 2024 compared to the previous year, the fastest of any country in Africa. The West African country imported 120 electric cars from China last year, a major jump from just two vehicles in 2023, according to official data from the Chinese government analysed by Mobility Rising. |
China produces 70% of the world’s EVs and is the main supplier of electric cars to Africa. In 2024, the continent purchased 19,386 EVs from the Asian country, an increase of 166% compared to 7,287 units in 2023.
While the imports by Burkina Faso are still tiny compared to those made by larger African markets, the sharp growth highlights the demand for electric cars in the West African country, which in January launched its own supposedly locally-made electric car (more likely a Chinese clone).
Our take: Given China's dominant position as the main supplier and producer of EVs, African countries count on partnerships beyond just importing vehicles… Read more (2 min)
 | South Africa is leading the electric mobility sector on the continent, according to the Mobility Rising country listing. We rank nations based on ten key parameters, namely the number and cumulative size of factories, number and impact of policies, funding deals, size and type, number of events, number of jobs advertised, and number of top ten companies in the sector. |
US-based EV maker Tesla tops the Mobility Rising company list. The ranking tracks eight key parameters, including the total number of staff in Africa, number of sales staff, country locations, increase in staff and sales staff, experience and tenure of staff, and the number of masters degrees.
The rankings are based on external and proprietary sources, including Mobility Rising staff based in locations across the continent, as well as public sources such as LinkedIn. It is updated monthly.
To view our rankings, click here (2 min)
 | Rubicon, a South African electric vehicle charging company, is the leading recruiter this week, according to job tracking by Mobility Rising across Africa, with 24 out of 35 advertised positions. The company’s aggressive hiring strategy aims to meet its target of expanding to 250 charging stations by the end of the year, up from the current 105. |
In East Africa, BasiGo is the top recruiter, with 4 out of 8 open roles in the region, all based in Rwanda. This follows the launch of Kigali's first-ever all-electric scheduled bus route from Nyabugogo to Kabuga last weekend, featuring 10 electric buses powered by BasiGo.
MAX continues to lead e-mobility recruitment in West Africa, showing a strong appetite for new talent with weekly recruitment this month. Over the past year, its staff has been the third-fastest growing after Tesla and Spiro, according to LinkedIn data.
To see all the vacancies, read more (2 min)
Events
🗓️ Attend Autoshow Experience in Kenya (May 30)
🗓️ Plan for Automotive Stakeholders Workshop in South Africa (June 11)
🗓️ Book your spot at Mobility Live Show and Conference in South Africa (Oct 15)
Various
🚘 Rolls-Royce unveils the Black Badge Spectre in South Africa
🚌 MetroBus is piloting electric mass transport with 10 e-buses in Mozambique
🚗 Leapmotor International to launch two EV models in Mauritius
Seen on LinkedIn
Tom Odhiambo, Sales Manager at Skypat Fleet management, says, “If Africa were to leapfrog into an electric vehicle (EV) future without waiting for grid perfection, it could resha