Burkina Faso unveils first locally-made EV

• The production plant of the car is located in Ouaga 2000, one of the prime districts in the West African country of more than 23 million people. The car was made primarily using local resources and by Burkinabe engineers who were in charge of both design and manufacturing, according to reports.

• Burkina Faso’s vehicle market remains small. Less than 1,000 vehicles are sold in the country annually. Statistics about the proportion of EVs in the country’s annual vehicle sales are currently unavailable, but the number is likely tiny.

• Our take: By making its first EV, Burkina Faso has demonstrated its resolve to join the rapidly growing EV-making business. But its success will be determined by how it handles expectations to produce more units… Read more (2 min)

SAIC Motors relaunches MG brand in South Africa

• MG is offering a 7-year/200,000 km warranty on its vehicles. The company currently has 30 dealership locations, but intends on having 60 by the end of 2025. The automaker plans to sell 1,000 units across its models per month.

• The company is also planning to launch MG4, a fully-electric car, in the country. The battery powered hatchback is aimed at the affordable end of the EV market and, depending on the market, will be available with a choice of 51 kWh, 64 kWh and 77 kWh battery packs. The car has a range of between 350 km and 530 km.

• Our take: MG’s EVs are an exciting addition to South Africa’s growing range of electric vehicles. The stiff competition in the EV market will help the local industry to grow… Read more (2 min)

Ethiopia to build local EV battery ecosystem

• Currently, Ethiopia has over 400 companies that import or assemble electric vehicles. The latest figures indicate that the country has more than 100,000 EVs, and the government’s goal is to increase this number to 500,000 over the next 10 years. 

• The rapid increase in EV adoption is driving up the demand for spare parts, including battery packs. Therefore, the domestic manufacture of EV batteries will offer a solution to the industry and also help to reduce the price, which is approximately $5,000 - $10,000 in the international market.

• Our take: African countries are building an ecosystem for the local production of the EV battery supply chain to mitigate global supply chain disruptions, but progress remains slow… Read more (2 min)

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