As the world transitions from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs), some African countries are actively developing infrastructure and regulations to encourage the usage of EVs.
Although China, Europe, and the United States will account for around 95% of worldwide EV sales in 2023, Africa is also making progress in this sector. Mordor Intelligence predicts that Africa’s electric car industry would increase from $15.80 billion in 2024 to $25.40 billion by 2029.
Despite having the world’s lowest adoption rate, certain African countries are making significant progress in adopting electric vehicles. This success is largely due to collaborations between governments and the business sector.
However, constraints include high conversion costs, insufficient charging infrastructure, expensive investments, competition from imported used automobiles, limited energy availability, unpredictable power grids, and a long-standing reliance on fossil fuels.
Here’s a look at ten African countries that are leading the way in EV adoption, including two-, three-, and four-wheel cars, in no particular order:
1. South Africa: With approximately 6,000 EVs as of 2020, South Africa’s advanced infrastructure and strong manufacturing base make it a leader in electric vehicle production.
2. Morocco: Morocco’s EV fleet grew to about 10,000 by 2023. The automotive sector here contributes 22% to the GDP and generates $14 billion from exports, surpassing South Africa in vehicle production.
3. Kenya: Home to Africa’s largest e-mobility startup ecosystem, Kenya continues to attract significant investment. Despite this, EVs only made up 1.7% of new vehicle sales with 3,753 registered EVs.
4. Tanzania: An emerging market, Tanzania had around 5,000 EVs by 2023 according to the Africa E-Mobility Alliance.
5. Angola: Angola had about 1,000 EVs and plans to import an additional 2,000 from the United States in 2024, marking it as one of the leading countries in EV adoption in Africa.
6. Ghana: Ghana boasts an impressive 17,000 electric vehicles, including a considerable number of four-wheelers, with around 1,000 being tracked by the Africa E-Mobility Alliance in 2023.
7. Rwanda: Rwanda saw its EV registrations rise to about 1,182 by 2022, including various types of vehicles.
8. Egypt: The number of electric vehicles in Egypt increased from 1,800 in 2021 to between 3,500 and 4,000 by 2023.
9. Ethiopia: Favorable government policies have spurred the growth of EVs in Ethiopia, with estimates suggesting between 5,000 to 7,000 electric vehicles on the roads.
10. Benin: Notably focusing on electric motorcycles, Benin has over 3,000 electric vehicles, showing significant adoption growth.
