Here are the top six electric vehicle manufacturers in Africa to keep an eye on

Here are the top six electric vehicle manufacturers in Africa to keep an eye on

Earlier this month, electric vehicles were once again the center of attention in the technology sector, as Tesla Inc.'s market capitalization surpassed the $1 trillion mark, making it only the fifth company in the world to achieve this feat after Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Alphabet, among other notable accomplishments.

Following Tesla's announcement of a $4 billion deal to sell 100,000 vehicles to rental car company Hertz, the stock of the company skyrocketed. The transaction represents the single largest purchase of electric vehicles ever made, generating revenue for Tesla in the amount of $4.2 billion. The success of Tesla has demonstrated that clean energy is not only necessary for climate change mitigation, but it can also be profitable if it is designed with a vision in mind.

While much of Africa continues to be plagued by intermittent power supplies, the continent is still home to entrepreneurs and innovators who are committed to reducing carbon emissions through the development of innovative clean energy mobility technologies.

Efforts to capture the electric vehicle (EV) market in Africa have already begun. A number of players have chosen to be industry pioneers in the face of numerous obstacles, such as insufficient power generation and infrastructure on the continent, among others.

Here are six African electric vehicle manufacturers to keep an eye on in the coming years:

Greenfoot Africa

Greenfoot Africa is a social enterprise that focuses on utilizing electric micromobility digital tools and clean energy to power the efficient and sustainable movement of goods in Africa's urban food systems and local consumer markets. Greenfoot Africa is based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The company's vision is to empower local businesses and consumers in Africa's urban and rural centers to be more sustainable, profitable, and resilient by empowering them to go green and work more efficiently. This will be accomplished by empowering them to go green and work more efficiently. So far, the company has successfully distributed over 20,000 kilometers of goods in an environmentally friendly manner, served over 300 vendors and merchants, and avoided the emission of over 2000 kilograms of carbon dioxide.

With the help of its all-electric Greenfoot Go bikes, which are currently in demonstration mode, Greenfoot Africa provides delivery services. Greenfoot Hub, a battery charging/swapping station and consumer goods micro-fulfillment center for electric micro-mobility (2 and 3-wheelers), as well as E-guta, a locally manufactured electric cargo bike, are currently in development, as is the Greenfoot Hub.

BasiGo

BasiGo, a Nairobi-based company with a vision to create Africa's clean electric public transportation system of the future. It was founded by Jit Bhattacharya and Jonathan Green, who recently raised a $1 pre-seed round to expand its operations into the African country of Kenya. In the near future, the company plans to sell locally assembled electric buses that incorporate components from BYD Automotive, China's largest electric vehicle manufacturer.

In addition to establishing a presence in Kenya, the company plans to expand into other markets throughout East Africa. Several investors, including Climate Capital, a venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, and Third Derivative, a climate-technology accelerator, have put their money behind BasiGo's development.

Siltech World

As a renewable energy solutions provider, Siltech is on a mission to provide environmentally friendly goods and services to environmentally conscious, technologically savvy consumers who do not have access to conventional energy sources.

A legal practitioner with a passion for technology, toys, and motorcycles founded the company with the help of his wife, Tolulope Williams. A major goal of Silteck is to develop electric-powered bicycles that will make life easier and more effective for everyone, while also preserving our environment for future generations to enjoy. Bikes with a range of 46–131 kilometers, as well as charging stations, are currently available from the company.

Jet Motors

In 2018, Chidi Ajaere and a team of passionate professionals launched JET Motors Company with the goal of increasing Africa's dominance in the future of mobility by reshaping the mobility narrative and bringing it closer to the people.

It was in 2019 that JET launched its flagship brand, the JET MOVER, a multipurpose van that is intended to accelerate the adoption of locally produced vehicles.

He explains that JET chose to start with vans because they are used by a greater percentage of the population in Nigeria and Africa in general than other modes of transportation. It is for this reason that the JET Mover was created to assist in facilitating the efficient movement of people using this mode of transportation.

This, however, is not the primary goal of the company's operations. It established a lofty mission of guiding Africa into a new era of mobility, which it accomplished admirably. Specifically, Mr Chidi believes that Africa must be guided into the emerging world of electric vehicles.

Nopea Ride

Nairobi-based Nopea Ride, whose name translates as "Fast Ride" in Finnish, operates entirely on electric vehicles and is one of the world's first ride-hailing companies to do so. The company operates in a similar manner to the vast majority of ride-hailing apps, facilitating the connection between drivers and passengers. However, because their automobiles are entirely electric, they are more environmentally friendly than other vehicles.

Its parent company, EkoRent Oy, began operations in Kenya in 2018 with the goal of increasing its rental fleet of electric taxis to 100 by the end of the year, thereby assisting the city in its efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Nopea Ride is headquartered in Nairobi.

SolarTaxi

Ghana-based Solar Taxi Initiative aims to manufacture solar-powered electric vehicles for transportation with the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 50%. With the help of the Mastercard Foundation, the Kumasi Hive launched Ghana's Solar Taxi project in September 2018, with the goal of alleviating poverty while also providing employment and protecting the environment.

In order to provide delivery and courier services, Solar Taxi currently manufactures electric vehicles and electric bikes. Aside from that, the company provides businesses with integrated fleet management services through an interactive dashboard and mobile apps for Taxi Drivers as well as Taxi App – for passengers.