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Chinese automaker Chery launches in Kenya
Dear subscriber,
Japanese vehicles have dominated Africa’s roads for decades. But Chinese vehicles are emerging as the kings of the new energy vehicles era, spreading across the continent like wildfire. Can anybody catch them?
Brian Ambani – Editor
 | China’s fourth largest motor vehicle manufacturer Chery has entered Kenya, one of Africa's larger auto markets. The company makes several electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), including the Omoda E5, a pure electric vehicle, and several PHEV models under the Tiggo line, such as the Tiggo 7 hybrid, Tiggo 8 Pro plug-in hybrid, and others in the Tiggo range. |
Chinese automakers have struggled to penetrate the East African market, which is mainly right-hand drive. Procuring right-hand drive vehicles from China is costlier, which has allowed Japanese brands to dominate the market.
While Chery only recently entered Africa, it is expanding rapidly to catch up with more established players. The company is one of the best-selling brands in South Africa.
Our take: Chery has to get its pricing right to become one of the leading car brands… Read more (2 min)
 | Interest rates charged on loans for the purchase of electric vehicles have barely changed since Mobility Rising started collecting the data in May. Each month, we analyse rates charged by commercial banks as well as asset lenders in four of Africa’s largest EV markets: South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria and Egypt. Over this period, the interest rates have remained stable. |
Loan interest rates on the African continent often change slowly and are less responsive to central bank rate adjustments than in developed economies.
Still, accurately tracking loan costs in Africa is difficult as several African countries have implemented risk-based lending frameworks. It means what a bank charges one person differs from another, based on their risk profile.
Our take: Countries with lower financing costs will see faster EV adoption… Read more (2 min)
 | Retrofitting commercial fuel vehicles is the fastest and cheapest route to mass transport decarbonisation in Africa, says Omondi Isaiah, Head of Operations in Kenya at Biliti Electric. However, this progress is being suppressed by the absence of clear regulations on EV conversions, and the reluctance of financial institutions to provide support, he says. |
Mr Omondi has led operations at Biliti Electric for nearly five years, bringing extensive experience in business development, sales and consultancy. He previously served as a warehouse supervisor and fleet manager at Arc Ride.
To realise the gains of retrofitting East Africa’s utility fleet, the region should prioritise certified conversion standards, harmonised tariffs on key components, and investment in technical training, says Mr Omondi.
Participants of Urban Mobility Summit pose at the conference hall in South Africa last week (Source: Urban Mobility Summit)
Jobs
💰 Join Mogo as a Field Collections Officer (Uganda)
📌 Become a Site Acquisition Head at Spiro (Kenya)
⚡ Apply for Charging Infrastructure Engineer’s role at Mazi Mobility (Kenya)
Events
📅 Register for the EV Revolution Africa Conference in Ghana (Dec 3)
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📅 Book a slot at the Africa EVs Expo in Kenya (Dec 4)
Various
💵 City Power sets aside R12.6m ($735,000) for vehicle electrification in SA
📝 Nigerian Senate approves Bill for electric vehicle transition
🚘 Yango partners Changan to distribute EVs for e-hailing across Africa
Seen on LinkedIn
Iragena Pacifique, the founder of Motovault Solutions, says, “Standardizing EV bike batteries across Africa could unlock faster adoption and make charging far more convenient for riders. (It is) a smart step for the industry”