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- Why Ethiopia is betting on electric buses for urban transport
Why Ethiopia is betting on electric buses for urban transport
 | Ethiopia has launched 100 electric buses in Addis Ababa. This marks the beginning of the city’s journey to electrify its fleet of over 1,170 public transport buses. The buses were assembled locally by Belayneh Kindie Metal Engineering Complex, using CKD kits sourced from China. They will operate on exclusive lanes to allow faster, more efficient commuting. |
Previously reliant on importing fully built units, the country is now flexing its capabilities in electric vehicle assembly. A regional race in e-bus production is likely to intensify, with Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia each vying for dominance in market share.
The race is no longer solely about deploying vehicles but about securing strategic control over the EV supply chain and after-sales ecosystem. Ethiopia stands out with its ambition to integrate lithium mining and battery production.
Our take: The country appears to have a working playbook that could influence the development of policies to accelerate EV adoption across the continent…Read more (2 min)
 | Concerns remain over whether electric motorcycles assembled locally in Africa are as good as those that are imported. In this week’s interview, we feature Sylvia Wanjiru, a quality assurance manager at Gogo Electric, an electric motorcycle company based in Kampala, Uganda. Ms Wanjiru believes that the continent has what it takes to build high quality EVs. |
We discussed the quality of motorcycles that are being made on the continent compared to those that are imported from mature markets such as China, and whether they meet the exerting demands of users in Africa.
Ms Wanjiru also expressed the need for Africa’s mobility companies to adopt automated assembly lines for electric motorcycles to speed up their production capacities and make the assembly process efficient.
To read more about our discussion with Sylvia, click here (3 min)
 | Kenya-based mobility startup Leta raised $5 million seed investment from Speedinvest, Google and Equator VC in March, the highest in Africa. Founded by Nick Joshi, it leverages AI to optimize deliveries. This is telling, as fleet management firms have become kings of raising money. It is what connects four of the five startups that raised money in March. |
Fleet management software is increasingly playing a crucial role in optimizing the operations of EV fleets. For instance, EV-specific fleet management tools track battery performance, ensuring optimal charging cycles and identifying potential issues to extend battery life.
They also help schedule charging sessions, manage energy consumption, and integrate with various charging providers. This ensures vehicles are charged efficiently and ready for use. Fleet management software provides real-time insights into vehicle location, battery levels, and energy use, helping to streamline routes and minimize downtime.
Our take: Investors are right to bet on Africa’s logistics startups. Africa’s bulging population will see increased demand for transportation services, and firms that help optimize those operations will reap big… Read more (2 min)
Kabayo Muhau (2nd from left), President of ZEMIA, joins mobility experts in South Africa
Events
🗓️ Confirm your attendance for Africa E-mobility Alliance’s Q&A webinar
🗓️ Register for Transport Evolution Forum in South Africa (June 17)
🗓️ Attend Futuroad Expo in South Africa (Oct 28)
Jobs
👨🏫 Train on general mobility and e-mobity at Advanced Mobility Africa (Kenya)
👷🏻♂️ Manage repairs and maintenance at Dodai (Ethiopia)
🕵️ Lead fraud investigation at M-Kopa (Uganda)
Various
🏗️ Chinese automaker Wisdom Motors is considering building an EV factory in Morocco
🤝 Bank Zero partners with Green Riders to power job creation in South Africa
🔀 Mobility54 management changes since its inception in 2019
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