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- Why a car assembly plant could strengthen Kenya's position
Why a car assembly plant could strengthen Kenya's position
 | Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Neta Auto is planning to start assembly in Kenya. This will make it the first major electric car assembler in the East African country. Kenya currently assembles electric bicycles, motorcycles and buses. Neta is partnering with Kenyan EV dealer Moja EV, which distributes the firm’s EVs in the country, for the project. |
Demand for electric cars in Kenya is rising, but the country relies on imports, mainly from China. Local assembly could reduce the cost of electric cars, as semi or completely knocked-down components attract lower taxes than fully built cars.
If Neta Auto is successful, it could prompt other major global EV manufacturers to do local assembly in the country. This will however not happen overnight, as Kenya’s – and Africa’s - EV market is still small compared to global markets.
Our take: Neta offers Kenya an opportunity to lead electric car assembly in the region to make use of the growing demand… Read more (2 min)
 | Electric motorcycles are gaining popularity as Kenya and the rest of Africa embrace clean transportation that is cost-effective. In this weekly section, we speak with electric vehicle consumers across the continent to understand their EV user experience. This week, we spotlight Eric Karisa, a taxi motorcycle rider with Bolt operating in Nairobi, Kenya. |
Mr Karisa has been using an electric bike for 11 months after shifting from a petrol motorcycle. In an interview, he said he saves around $7 daily since switching to an electric motorcycle.
The biggest problem for him is however the increasing cost of charging. Further, there is a lack of enough battery swapping stations in Nairobi. It means that he cannot offer rides to areas beyond a certain range of kilometres.
To read our conversation, click here (2 min)
 | In the past two weeks, a total of 30 job postings have been made in the sustainable mobility sector across Africa. Of these, M-Kopa is the most active recruiter, advertising eleven positions. MAX follows with four job vacancies, then Spiro with three. West Africa has listed seven vacancies, North Africa has five, and Southern Africa has posted just one. |
The key focus areas for hiring across the continent are in technical roles (engineering and software development), operational management, and product development. These skills are crucial in building the technological infrastructure, streamlining operations, and developing innovative products that meet the demands of the African market.
Southern Africa is still in the early stages of recruitment for EV-related roles, with electric vehicle companies largely concentrated in South Africa. Charge stands out as an active recruiter in the region’s charging space, compared to its competitors.
To see the full list of the vacancies, Click here (2 min)
Events
🗓️ Explore new tech at the EV Summit in South Africa (July 17)
🗓️ Register for Africa Technology Show happening in Kenya (July 8)
🗓️ Save the date for Transformative Transport Conference (Aug 13)
Various
🏍️ Ampersand customers cover 950,000 km per day
🚘 Drivelectric launches 27 new EVs from Morris Garages (MG)
📢 Spiro is set to unveil their next-gen electric superbikes
Seen on LinkedIn
Shantha Bloemen, founder of Mobility For Africa, says, “Reality of Southern Africa (is that) registration, licensing and rules around 2 & 3 wheelers are often outdated, expensive and limited to urban areas. Yet (there is) so much potential to combine safety, shared transport and affordability especially if using solar energy rather than expensive fuel that requires foreign currency.”