EV switch gains momentum in Francophone Africa

• The funding round was led by a mix of African and foreign ventures. Foreign investors included the Digital Energy Facility (a collaborative initiative led by Agence Française de Développement, IetP, and Gaia Impact Fund) and the JLL Foundation. African investors included the Mauritius-based Launch Africa and Senegal's Teranga Capital.

• Solarbox was incubated by Wuri Ventures, a venture capital firm based in Senegal. The company also provides solar charging solutions, financing and fleet management solutions to support its electric vehicle offerings.

• Our take: Francophone Africa has some catching up to do... Read more (2 min)

African corporate fleets shift to EVs

• Egyptian-based startup Shift EV is converting half the delivery fleet of Danone Egypt.

• In South Africa, Shoprite, a leading retailer, and DHL, the logistics firm, are switching their fleets to electric vehicles.

• Our take: Corporations will be the leaders in EV adoption... Read more (2 min)

GOGO Electric has the fastest growing sales team

• The average growth rate for sales team membership across the top ten companies was 57% in the past 12 months. 

• The largest sales team is at MAX, the Nigerian electric motorcycle company, and the smallest – as well as slowest growing one – is at Shift EV, the Egyptian electric conversion firm. 

• Our take: In the end, everyone is measured by their sales numbers… Read more (2 min)

• Costly charging rates in South Africa: Public EV charging tariffs in South Africa are notably high, with direct current (DC) fast chargers typically costing upwards of $0.4 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and alternating current (AC) chargers at $0.3 per kWh. These rates are approximately two to three times higher than residential electricity prices, primarily due to the involvement of multiple stakeholders in the charging ecosystem. (MyBroadBand)

• Zimbabwe’s EV scenario:  Electric vehicles are gaining traction in Zimbabwe, with models like the GWM ORA 03 offering a range of 320 kilometres on a full charge costing just over $6. Despite growing interest, challenges such as pending government policies and the need for more charging infrastructure remain. Zimbabwe, a notable lithium producer, aims for a 33% EV market penetration by 2030. (Xinhua)

• Rwandan EV employment progress: A project called "Boosting E-Mobility Jobs" in Rwanda has trained 60 individuals in EV maintenance skills. The initiative partners with various companies and prioritises empowering women and rural communities through tailored courses and sustainable business models. A pilot project in Nyamata explores e-bikes for transport, addressing mobility gaps between rural and urban areas. (InvestforJobs)

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