February 04, 2025

Morocco builds a $2B battery factory

February 04, 2025

COBCO, a joint venture between Chinese battery manufacturer CNGR Advanced Material Co and Moroccan holding company Al Mada, has launched a $2 billion battery factory in Morocco. The 200-hectare factory, which is strategically located near the Jorf Lasdar port, has the capacity to produce batteries for 1 million electric vehicles annually.

  • The construction of the facility commenced in 2023 after CNGR and Al Mada established the joint venture. The facility began production of nickel-based battery materials, a vital ingredient for lithium-ion batteries.

  • Once fully operational, it is set to produce 70 gigawatt-hours of energy annually—enough to power over 1 million EVs. COBCO aims to build a sustainable battery supply chain, focusing initially on nickel-cobalt-manganese (NCM) components.

  • Our take: Batteries are the most critical component of an EV. As demand for batteries rises, Morocco has put itself in a vantage position to play a central role in Africa’s, and in extension, the global EV revolution… Read more (2 min)

Spiro, Africa’s leading e-bike manufacturer, is seeking to launch its e-bikes in India. The company has been preparing its entry into India for a while. In January 2024, it opened a Global technology Centre in Pune, a city in India’s Maharashtra State. Spiro has been testing its e-bikes in India to gauge their performance before launch. 

  • The e-bikes that Spiro will be selling in India will be made locally. In November 2024, the company appointed Indian e-bike manufacturer PG Electroplast Ltd as its exclusive manufacturing partner in the country.  

  • The firm has already assembled a team of 78 employees at the Pune office. Their focus is mainly to develop cutting-edge software solutions and enhance the firm’s IoT and telematics capabilities. 35% of Spiro’s hires in India are engineers while the rest are in operations, information technology, business development and quality assurance.

  • Our take: Africa is not new to foreign firms expanding into the continent. Spiro’s expansion out of Africa is therefore unique especially for an automotive company, underlining the vast opportunities within the e-mobility space… Read more (2 min)

South African electric vehicle (EV) rental company Drive Electric is making strides in a market that is dominated by internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. The company’s services which range from $80 per day to $950 per month, have seen an increase in demand, according to the company’s CEO James Gallo.

  • Tourism has been the key driver of EV rentals at Drive Electric. Many travellers seek affordable yet unique driving experiences. The most popular rental model is the Volvo XC40 Recharge, though the company should consider adding the Volvo EX30, the best-selling EV in South Africa in 2024.

  • In South Africa, the car rental sector generates over $1.1 billion annually, though the EV rental segment remains nascent.

  • Our take: EV rentals in Africa need affordable EVs, corporate leasing, and improved charging infrastructure… Read more (2 min)

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A rider cruising in Tanzania using eMo BodaBoda, an electric motorcycle from eMo Mobility

Events

🗓️ Kenya hosts Africa Tech Summit (Feb 12)

🗓️ Nigeria hosts West Africa Automotive Show (May 13)

🗓️ Kenya hosts Auto Expo Africa (May 28)

Jobs

🔋 Kofa seeks a battery optimization manager (Ghana)

👨‍💻 BasiGo seeks a full-stack developer (Kenya)

👷‍♂️ Shift EV seeks a talent acquisition specialist (Egypt)

Various 

🤝 MAX is now the official financing partner for Spiro

📞 CHARGE calls President Ramaphosa on take more time in implementing EV incentives

🗣️ Dr. Rauna Shipena shares why Namibia is not ready for electric vehicles

Seen on LinkedIn 

Damilola Odunlade, CEO of DriveMe, affirms that EV adoption in Nigeria is happening with the integration of innovative financing models and local assembly, however, favourable policies and finance are essential for growth.

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