Op-ed: Why EV charging speed is the new range anxiety

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Electric vehicles are becoming more common in Africa, but the biggest challenge now is charging, says Bob Wesonga, an Operations and Research Associate at the Africa E-Mobility Alliance. Mr Wesonga explains that people are no longer just worried about how far an EV can travel. He says faster charging could boost EV adoption. 

• Since most EVs in Africa are two-wheelers, battery swapping has become more popular. It’s faster and more affordable, as riders don’t buy batteries but borrow them from companies that sell the energy instead.

• Mr Wesonga highlights Ethiopia as a leader with the fastest chargers in Africa and plans to build more stations across the country. Kenya and Rwanda are also making good progress.

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By Bob Wesonga

Electric vehicles have shifted from niche to necessity, as Africa catches the wave of clean and efficient transport solutions. But as the continent embraces the promise of e-mobility, a familiar hurdle remains in the way: charging infrastructure—or more precisely, the speed of charging.

We used to talk endlessly about range anxiety. But now, that anxiety is morphing into something else, charging speed anxiety. Simply put: people aren’t just worried about how far they can go, they’re increasingly concerned with how long it takes to get going again. Kabisa, for example, takes almost a week to move from Rwanda to Nairobi, a journey that they believe could take around 2 days with fast charging.

Charging vs Swapping

Charging is the process of making the device gain battery for re-use. In most EVs, this happens while the battery is in the vehicle (plug-in charging) through standard sockets or at public and private charging stations.

Battery swapping consists of removing a depleted battery and swapping it for a charged battery, often in under two minutes. It is done at swap stations, which can be cabinets or dedicated shops.

Currently, in Africa, battery swapping is most common, especially for two-wheelers. This is because over 90% of EVs in Africa are two-wheelers.

The beauty of this model is that, in most cases, drivers don't buy the battery. Companies retain ownership, recovering battery costs through the sale of energy, just like in fueling. This reduces EV purchase costs and eliminates downtime for charging.

Ethiopia: Africa’s Fast-Charging Pioneer

Following Ethiopia’s ban on ICE imports, the country is fast-tracking infrastructure deployment. In February 2025, Ethio Telecom unveiled ultra-fast 600 kW chargers in Addis Ababa—Africa’s fastest yet.  They also have a January 2025 plan that aims to install EV stations every 50–120 km nationwide, supporting long-distance travel.  Due to the influx of Chinese imports in the Ethiopian EV market, GB/T has become the dominant charging standard.

Kenya and Rwanda: Speeding Up

Kenya Power is rolling out 45 new EV stations across major counties. Local innovators like Knights Energy (via their eCharge Africa app) are helping motorists locate chargers seamlessly. EV companies like Drive Electric, Rideence, and most recent entrants, Kabisa are introducing vehicles compatible with faster GB/T and CCS2 chargers.

Rwanda is not left behind. As of 2024, it had 24 public stations and 49 swap facilities. Last Month, BasiGo launched the first electric intercity bus route, thus expanding charging infrastructure beyond Kigali.

Kabisa, a Rwandan EV company specialising in passenger vehicles, partnered with Societe Petroliere Ltd (SP) to build a nationwide network of EV charging stations at SP gas stations. This partnership is expected to greatly increase the accessibility to charging stations by leveraging the already existing petrol station infrastructure.

The Bigger Picture

Here’s the crux: the faster users can charge or swap, the more likely they are to switch to EVs. Slow charging equals frustration. Long queues and wait times can kill momentum, especially in busy African cities where time is currency.

South Africa is scaling up too, with Audi and Jaguar building ultra-fast stations along key highways. Meanwhile, Zero Carbon Charge is rolling out 120 off-grid solar-powered stations, with the first completed in 2024.

Looking ahead, the Megawatt Charging System (MCS) is projected to arrive on the continent by 2026. While currently not ideal for passenger cars, it will revolutionise heavy-duty transport with ultra-fast, high-capacity charging.

Finally...

Africa’s charging infrastructure is evolving rapidly, but speed is now the frontline challenge. We’ve made peace with range. Now we need to conquer time.

So, whether it's 600 kW chargers in Addis, swap stations in Kigali, or solar hubs in South Africa, every second saved gets us closer to mass EV adoption.

Let’s charge ahead. Faster.