SA gets its first off-grid charging station

• The charging station will have six fast DC charging points and two slower AC chargers. Four of the DC chargers are liquid-cooled and can charge up to 480 kW each—double the fastest charging speed available in South Africa.

• Mid this month, the company allocated $513 million for EV infrastructure development in KwaZulu-Natal province, aiming to build at least 31 new charging sites across the province.

• Our take: Off-grid charging has the potential to provide cheaper EV charging tariffs than grid... Read more (2 min)

Mergers & acquisitions thrive in African EV space

• Africa's mobility startups are coming up fast. In early 2024, they secured more funding than fintech, raising US$218 million. Companies like Moove and Planet42 are beneficiaries of this surge in investment, transforming transportation across the continent.

• While other sectors like fintech are seeing fewer mergers and acquisitions, the mobility space is showing promising signs of consolidation, despite deal sizes being smaller than those typically seen in fintech.

• Our take: Well-funded tech is driving mobility innovation... Read more (2 min)

Morocco beats Egypt as North Africa’s EV hub

• Tunisia, Algeria and Libya lag significantly, needing considerable advancements to close the gap and unlock their potential.

• The region performed moderately on electricity affordability, with funding and talent concentrated mainly in Morocco and Egypt, while the rest of the region struggled across most other metrics.

• Our take: North Africa’s progress is not just about proximity to Europe but strategic partnership... Read more (2 min)

• Zimbabwe to introduce tax incentives: The country’s Finance Minister, Mthuli Ncube, yesterday announced a reduction in import duty on EVs from 40% to 25%, effective January 2025. This policy aims to align with the country's goal of achieving 33% EV market penetration by 2030, leveraging its position as a lithium producer. Additionally, duty rebates will be extended for approved operators importing equipment to establish solar-powered EV charging stations. (Pune.News)

• Advancing Tanzania’s EV policy-making: Tanzania, supported by the LEAP Fund under Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, has launched the South-to-South E-Mobility Policy Exchange to advance its transition to sustainable transportation. The initiative includes study tours such as the recent China and Rwanda trips. Tanzanian policymakers learned about successful EV policies, infrastructure investment, and tax incentives, such as Rwanda’s EV tax exemptions, which could guide Tanzania's efforts. (The Citizen)

• Scaling EV transition in Kenya: The country aims to achieve 5% EV sales by 2025, requiring annual EV introductions to increase from the current annual average of 700 to 15,000. Despite challenges such as reliance on second-hand ICE vehicles (85% of imports) and limited EV infrastructure, the country has seen private sector growth. Over 50 e-mobility companies had approximately 2,700 EVs by 2023, doubling the previous five years’ total. Lessons from successful technological transformations like M-Pesa and solar home systems highlight the importance of practicality, affordability, and infrastructure integration in scaling adoption. (LinkedIn)

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