MAX is the largest African EV Startup by staff

• The three biggest teams after MAX are Spiro (325), Ampersand (198) and Roam (164). The fastest-growing teams after GOGO are at Kiira (109%), Ampersand (98%) and Spiro (82%).

• Tesla has 929 senior staff in Africa, and grew the team by 171% in the past 12 months. But they’re not exclusively involved in African mobility, instead creating and selling batteries—and thus are not counted here.  

• Our take: Staff data is the next best success indicator after financial statements... Read more (2 min)

Uganda sees battery swap expansion 

• This partnership comes six months after Yongeza Capital partnered with Spiro to build battery swap stations across Uganda.

• To date, Yongeza has built over 10 charging and battery swap stations and plans to build more charging stations across four urban areas in Uganda.

• Our take: Battery swapping is increasingly becoming common in electric motorcycles… Read more (2 min)

Africa to get locally made home chargers

• Infinity Capital established Infinity EV in 2018 to provide charging solutions for EVs and has other tailored charging solutions for various sectors, including commercial, real estate, retail, and home charging.

• The company has since become the largest and fastest-growing EV charging network in Egypt. It has 190 charging stations and more than 640 charging points across 14 governorates.

• Our take: Increased battery range would make EV home charging attractive... Read more (2 min)

• SA’s dilemma of EV transition: South Africa's Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Science, Technology, and Innovation has expressed skepticism over transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) and green energy, citing potential job losses and economic disruption. The chairperson, Tsakani Shiviti, emphasized the need for a calculated, phased approach rather than adopting Western-driven strategies without localized benefits. (IOL)

• Need for green upskilling: Africa’s green transition, including the shift to electric vehicles (EVs), faces a significant skills gap. In Nigeria, EV adoption is poised to accelerate, with electric motorcycles projected to account for 60% of new sales by 2040; creating a surge in local assembly and maintenance roles. Companies like Mobility for Africa and RMI emphasize localized EV manufacturing and workforce training as key to maximizing economic benefits. (Reuters)

• Unlocking Africa EV finance through COP 29: Stakeholders look to COP29 for critical financing initiatives, including infrastructure support and policies to replace polluting vehicles. Despite the e-mobility market’s projected growth to $21 billion by 2027, investment challenges like limited charging infrastructure and high costs hinder rapid adoption. African nations, led by Kenya and Rwanda, are advancing e-mobility with electric motorcycles and buses becoming integral to public transport systems. (TimesLive, Devdiscourse)

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