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- Gas-powered vehicles are eating the lunch of EVs in Africa
Gas-powered vehicles are eating the lunch of EVs in Africa
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Nigerian energy firm Tetracore has commissioned the second Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refuelling unit at a Dangote Cement factory. The Dangote Group has converted 4,000 diesel trucks to use CNG and plans to convert an additional 6,000 trucks. Autogas is helping motorists in Africa cut their fuel costs by about half, potentially slowing down EV sales. |
CNG is an especially attractive choice for motorists in countries that have it in abundance such as Egypt, Nigeria, Tanzania, Algeria and Mozambique. Many thousands of fuel vehicles in Africa are being converted annually to run on CNG. In countries without CNG, vehicles are being retrofitted to run on LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), also saving motorists up to 50% in fuel costs.
Autogas is a viable and affordable alternative for motorists not yet ready to switch to electric, particularly where charging infrastructure is not fully developed.
Our take: Africa’s investments in renewable energy will cut power prices in the long run, and this could eventually make EVs more cost-effective than vehicles using CNG and LPG… Read more (2 min)
Kenya-based electric motorcycle manufacturer Roam has unveiled a new generation of its Roam Air motorcycle. The company says the new model features 40 upgrades that have come out of local market research. The bikes now carry an additional 20 kg, and are built with 36% locally sourced components. The first Roam Air was unveiled three years ago. |
African EV companies such as Ampersand, Spiro and Dodai all regularly launch new models. They are usually designed to enhance competitiveness via improved performance and functionality.
EV technology is evolving rapidly, rendering best-selling models from just a few years ago outdated. As a result, EVs in general will be updated more frequently than their fuel counterparts.
Our take: Rider needs, local ideas and smart design will drive the next generation of EVs… Read more (2 min)
Kenyan charging companies increased prices over the past month while their counterparts in Nigeria and South Africa kept prices flat, according to a survey by Mobility Rising. Our survey collects charging data monthly from leading companies in the three countries. In Kenya, charging prices rose by 2%, likely due to increases in electricity prices. |
Electricity prices in Kenya and Nigeria are adjusted monthly to reflect the cost of generation and pass-through costs such as forex expenses. This makes charging prices more volatile. In South Africa, national electricity prices are changed annually.
The majority of EVs in Kenya, especially electric motorcycles, are used for commercial purposes to save fuel costs. This means any increase in charging prices can affect future usage.
Our take: Repeated increases in charging prices could dissuade individuals from switching to EVs as the economic incentive for ownership declines… Read more (2 min)

Riders take a spin on Zeno’s newly launched electric motorcycle
Events
🗓️ Plan for EV Summit happening in South Africa (July 17)
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🗓️ Participate in the EV Mobility Expo in Kenya (Dec 4)
Jobs
📈 Manage growth Operations at MAX (Nigeria)
👨💼 Become the Head of Product at Spiro (Nigeria)
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Various
💰 Bolt South Africa marks milestone as partner MyNextCar raises $10M
📝 Zeroca launches a mobility program featuring EVs in South Africa
🚘 Zambia introduces the BYD SHARK 6
Seen on LinkedIn
Alexander Munguti, Product Strategist at Spiro, says, “One of the biggest opportunities (In Tanzania) lies in the electrification of bajaji (tuktuks), which are heavily used across ride-hailing platforms…Charging infrastructure remains limited, with most users relying on home charging.”