- Mobility Rising
- Posts
- Ethiopia signs deal to assemble Indian commercial EVs
Ethiopia signs deal to assemble Indian commercial EVs
Brian Ambani
October 14, 2025
Dear subscriber, we take note every time a major new global player sets foot in Africa. Today the continent welcomes one from the sub-continent. Curiously, the entry point is Ethiopia. We also exclusively compare EV prices across the continent. We hope this helps you make better decisions!
 | Indian electric commercial vehicle maker EKA Mobility has entered into an agreement with Ethiopian conglomerate Kerchanshe Trading to build an EV assembly plant in the country. Under the deal, EKA will import Completely-Knocked-Down (CKD) components for local assembly. Ethiopia will be EKA’s base as it seeks to serve the East African market. |
The majority of EVs in Africa, especially two-wheelers and three-wheelers, are used for commercial applications to reduce operational costs. A large proportion of electric cars and buses are also being deployed for commercial use for the same reason.
While China has been dominating Africa’s EV story, India is also emerging as a strong player. The country is a major source of parts and components used to assemble EVs on the continent, while more Indian companies are also establishing in Africa.
Our take: With its cheap power, the cost of owning an EV in Ethiopia could become one of the lowest in Africa… Read more (2 min)
 | Average electric vehicle prices have increased in Nigeria and South Africa in October, according to an analysis by Mobility Rising. But while a number of vehicles became dearer — not all did. We analysed prices from four key markets: Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Egypt. EV prices in Egypt and Kenya remained stable during the period. |
Every month we collect data for the three most popular electric motorcycles or scooters in each of the four countries as well as the three most popular electric cars. We calculate averages and compare this to past data.
Our analysis reveals that prices for the same EV models continue to diverge greatly from market to market across Africa. This is despite the continent’s reliance on imported EVs, especially cars, from the same sources.
Our take: African EV buyers should brace for more unpredictability in prices due to frequent adjustments by global suppliers… Read more (2 min)
 | Declining foreign aid is pushing low and middle-income countries to take ownership of policies, says Jonathan Philips, Director of the Energy Access Project at Duke University. Kenya’s green transition has been slowed by inconsistent fiscal policies. To unlock e-mobility’s potential, the government must adopt a long-term tax framework that treats incentives as investments. |
Africa’s EV boom has relied heavily on international DFIs and impact investors, particularly in early movers like Kenya. Yet for the market to reach true scale, local financial institutions must engage actively.
Contrary to popular belief, e-mobility is no distant dream for emerging markets. Kenya is proving how local innovators can drive rapid adoption, especially in the two- and three-wheeler segments.
Kofa CEO Erik Nygaard (left) signs a partnership with Yango and Bboxx in Ghana
Events
📅 Attend the NEV Summit in South Africa (Oct 22)
📅 Register for Kenya National Public Transport Summit (Nov 26)
📅 Book a slot at the Lagos Transport Fest (Dec 9)
Jobs
📈 Become the Head of Sales at Gogo Electric (Uganda)
👨🏻💻 Apply for Senior Software Manager at Ampersand (Kigali)
🛵 Join Dodai as a Junior Logistics Officer (Ethiopia)
Various
☂️ Atlanta Sand launches the first insurance for electric scooters in Morocco
⚡ MojaEv to build an EV plant in Kenya
🚗 First batch of Changan and Deepal models dock in South Africa
Seen on LinkedIn
Prian Reddy, Senior Programme Manager, Zero Emission Buses (Africa) C40 Cities, says, “At a small scale, battery swap charging cabinets can be powered by onsite solar PV. Once we get to fleet level charging at depots the energy demand story changes and this is where virtual wheeling comes in.”