New hirings raise mobility labour market by 2%

From the newsletter

The labour market in the electric mobility sector expanded by 2% in the past month, according to the Mobility Rising Staff Index which measures the change in the number of jobs available and companies advertising jobs. It also measures the most recent pay shifts, the change in the total number of staff and the attrition rate at the top ten firms.  

• Our analysis shows that the number of senior staff at the leading ten electric mobility companies increased by 4% to 2,952 from 2,830 over the past month, while new hires by the leading firms went up by 11% to 1,235 from 1,112.

• While the number of vacancies announced reduced by 4% to 75 from 78, the number of companies that announced vacancies went up by 18% to 20 up from 17, highlighting increasing hiring diversity.

More details

• Mobility companies have advertised dozens of roles over the past month, capping a solid 12-month period that has seen the net hires during the period standing at 1,235. The jobs are spread across various functions including engineering, sales, quality assurance, finance, operations and marketing.

• The increased hiring would not be possible without the millions of dollars that have flowed into the sector from investors. More than a dozen firms have raised funding this year alone to support their expansion, which has accelerated the hiring. The total capital raised by electric mobility startups between January and April 2025 is $56.6 million, according to data from Africa: The Big Deal.

• A familiar name that has topped hiring in recent months is Tesla. The US-based EV giant has hired more than 800 new staff in the last 12 months in Africa as it establishes itself quietly on the continent. Tesla, which has been selling energy storage solutions in South Africa, now has 1,298 employees in Africa, an increase of 64% from May 2024.  

• Africa’s EV sector is experiencing a rapid workforce expansion, driven by growing investment in electric mobility. Companies like Spiro, which added 163 workers and Max, which hired 29, are scaling operations across multiple countries, fueling demand for roles in sales, engineering, and supply chain management.

• Chinese automaker BYD continues its push into Africa, adding 22 employees as it introduces multiple EV models across a dozen markets. BYD’s expansion reflects broader trends of global EV firms entering Africa, creating job opportunities while reshaping local industry dynamics.

• Local startups are driving innovation and employment, with Ampersand and Gogo Electric, which added 82 and 31 workers respectively, strengthening Africa’s electric motorcycle and battery ecosystem. Meanwhile, BasiGo and Kiira Motors, which added 34 and 43 workers respectively, highlight growth in electric bus manufacturing.

• Roam Electric had a net loss of 14 workers, which could indicate workforce rationalization. Fluctuations in workforce numbers reflect broader labor market hurdles such as access to skilled talent, manufacturing constraints, and the evolving policy landscape.

Our take

• Demand for EVs in Africa is rising, which could see job growth accelerate, driven by increased investment in localized EV manufacturing and assembly. Companies expanding into new markets—like Spiro, Tesla and BYD—will require more workers across production, sales, and after-sales services.

• Demand for specialized skills is rising, particularly in battery technology, EV maintenance, and software integration. Governments and private firms should launch more training programs to bridge the talent gap in areas like charging infrastructure development and fleet management.

• The entry of global players like BYD and Tesla could be bad news for local startups, who will be raided for top talent. This has already been seen in some sectors such as information technology, where the entry of global giants such as Google and Oracle in Africa drained local firms their top workers.