The Real Future of new age EV business models are being engineered in Africa

1. Africa’s EV revolution isn't imitating the west or the east – it’s outsmarting it.

While the west or the east i.e. USA and China debates luxury EVs, African innovators are building bold, homegrown models for public transport and motorbike taxis.

The future isn’t imported — it’s being engineered near your home in Nairobi, Kigali or Accra.

2. The Big Picture

Africa sold fewer than 11,000 Electric Cars in 2024 with Electric 2&3W sales also being in the low tens of thousands – a sliver of global volumes.

But the opportunity? Massive. E.g. Cities like Nairobi rely on 20,000+ Mini-Buses (Matatus) plying daily, and thousands ride motorbike taxis (Boda-Bodas)
each day.

Aﬀordability, infrastructure, and reliability are ripe for disruption.

3. Africa's EV Playbook

Forget Tesla's and charging stations at home. Africa’s models are lean, smart, and built for scale:

4. Pay As You Drive

Why pay $200k upfront for an e-bus?

BasiGo lets drivers pay ~$7.7K upfront and then just $0.5/km — covering charging, battery & service.

Result?

4 million passengers served to date with 41 buses in operations — with 500 pre-orders already made by bus operators in Nairobi for additional electric buses.

5. Battery swap-as-you-go (with solar charging infrastructure)

Don’t wait to charge — just swap the battery in 2 minutes. Ampersand enables ~120,800swaps weekly, powering 5,000e-motorbikes. Spiro runs 18,000bikes across 6 African countries with 45,000+ swappable batteries.

Moreover, having multiple solar-powered stations, is crucial for a holistic sustainability strategy of both companies above, making blackouts a non-issue, as there is a low reliance on ‘on-grid’ sources of power.

6. Why These Models Work in Africa

7. So What's Next?

Africa’s EV market could hit $25B+ by 2030 catalysed by these innovative business models. 2 & 3 wheelers and public transport e.g. buses will electrify the fastest — they’re already proving viable.

Pay-as-you-go and battery swap-as-you-go (with solar charging infrastructure) models, just need favourable regulation and policy tailwinds. Government’s & policy makers across Africa have already begun taking notice.