Just a decade ago, spotting an electric vehicle (EV) on African roads was a rare event—so rare that you could almost count them by hand.
In fact, unless you were in the capital city of one of the continent’s most developed countries, seeing an EV in motion was unlikely.
It sounds unbelievable for a continent of over one billion people, right? But it was true.
As of 2015, there were only about 240 electric vehicles across the entire continent.
Fast forward to today, and the landscape is shifting rapidly.
The narrative is no longer about scarcity—it’s about momentum. How fast!
According to 2024 data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), Africa is now home to at least 10,500 electric vehicles.
The agency’s statistics are very conservative. There are actually more.
While the continent still lags behind global EV leaders like Asia, Europe, and the Americas, it is steadily gaining ground.
Globally, EV sales crossed 17 million units in 2024, accounting for more than 20% of total vehicle sales. That was historic.
Africa’s share was modest at 0.6%, the lowest of any region, but it shows the market is beginning to transition.
With global sales projected to exceed 20 million units in 2025, EVs are expected to make up more than a quarter of all cars sold worldwide.
Notably, every major and new market, including Africa, recorded record-breaking EV sales in the first quarter of this year.
According to Mordor Intelligence, Africa’s EV market is forecast to grow from $15.80 billion in 2024 to $25.40 billion by 2029.
This growth is being fueled by supportive government policies, increased private sector investment, and a continent-wide push for cleaner, more sustainable transportation.
As of March 2025, four African countries are leading the charge in EV adoption, based on insights from multiple credible sources.
- Kenya
Kenya is emerging as a leader in electric mobility in sub-Saharan Africa.
The country boasts the largest e-mobility startup ecosystem in Africa and is attracting significant investment.
The country’s electric vehicle (EV) market has experienced impressive growth, with sales surging by 150% in 2025 compared to the previous year.
As of May 2025, the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya (EMAK) reported approximately 9,047 registered EVs.
While EVs currently account for just 0.2% of all vehicles in the country, nearly 90% of that figure comprises electric motorcycles.
This indicates the dominance of two- and three-wheelers in Kenya’s e-mobility landscape.
Charging infrastructure is expanding rapidly.
The number of public charging stations has jumped from 67 in 2024 to over 200 in 2025, with fast-charging points now being installed along major highways.
This infrastructure boom, coupled with government incentives and growing environmental consciousness, is fueling adoption among both private users and corporate fleets.
The Kenyan government has set an ambitious target: to ensure 5% of all new vehicle registrations in 2025 are electric and to establish 10,000 charging stations by 2030.
Industry experts also project that EVs will account for 30% of new vehicle sales in Kenya by the end of the decade.
With more than 60% of Kenya’s electricity generated from renewable sources, the country is well-positioned to transition smoothly to a low-emissions, electric-powered transportation future.
- South Africa
South Africa is the largest automotive manufacturing hub in sub-Saharan Africa, hosting big autos like Toyota, Ford, Isuzu, Mercedes-Benz, and Volkswagen.
Despite this strong industrial base, the country had not yet begun local production of electric vehicles (EVs) as of February 2025.
By 2020, South Africa had an estimated 6,000 EVs on its roads. The following years witnessed an increase.
In 2024 alone, EV sales reached 1,257 units—a 35.3% increase from the previous year.
Almost all EVs currently in use are imported, but this is expected to change soon, with local production planned to begin in 2026.
To accelerate its transition to electric mobility, South Africa unveiled a national EV white paper in 2023.
The roadmap outlines the government’s vision to shift from fossil fuel-powered vehicles to a cleaner, mixed transport fleet by 2035.
Key policy measures include tax rebates and investment incentives aimed at stimulating domestic EV manufacturing.
Earlier this year, the government introduced a 150% tax deduction for qualifying investments in EV and hydrogen vehicle production.
In addition, the National Treasury allocated $54.27 million in March 2025 to support local manufacturing of new energy vehicles, batteries, and related infrastructure.
A 10-year investment allowance for new EV-sector investments is also scheduled to take effect from March 1, 2026.
South Africa’s advanced automotive infrastructure and established manufacturing capabilities position it as a strategic hub for EV production and distribution on the continent.
However, challenges remain—most notably an unreliable power supply and limited charging infrastructure.
Currently, there are only 62 public charging points nationwide, making widespread EV adoption difficult for both manufacturers and consumers.
- Morocco
Morocco is home to Africa’s largest automotive industry, closely followed by South Africa.
The sector contributes approximately 22% to the country’s GDP and generates over $12 billion in annual exports.
Every year, thousands of brand-new vehicles are shipped from the port of Tanger Med to markets across Europe.
According to Trade and Industry Minister Ryad Mezour, Morocco has made huge progress over the past 15 years—moving from a non-exporter of automobiles to exporting over 300,000 vehicles annually.
As the country witnesses growing demand for high-end sustainable mobility, Morocco is looking into making electric vehicles (EVs).
By 2023, the country’s EV fleet had surpassed 10,000 units, with strong potential for continued growth.
In a notable development, Chinese EV manufacturer Zeekr entered the Moroccan market in April through a strategic partnership with Tractafric Motors Morocco.
The deal aims to introduce a range of premium electric models tailored to the Moroccan consumer.
- Ghana
Ghana is currently Africa’s front-runner in electric vehicle (EV) adoption, with a fleet size exceeding 17,000 units. This includes a large share of electric two- and three-wheelers.
Between January 2017 and December 2021, Ghana imported approximately 17,660 plug-in electric vehicles, according to the Ghana Shippers Authority (GSA).
Of these, around 9,431 motorized two- and three-wheelers were sourced from China.
The country also boasts roughly 1,000 four-wheeled EVs—among the highest in sub-Saharan Africa.
To accelerate the shift to electric mobility, the Ghanaian government has set a target to install 1,000 public charging stations by 2028.
In support of this goal, it introduced a range of policy incentives. This includes an eight-year import duty waiver on EVs starting in 2024, along with extended VAT exemptions for locally assembled vehicles.
One of the key beneficiaries of these incentives is SolarTaxi, a homegrown EV brand that began assembling electric vehicles in Ghana in 2021.
Today, it ranks among the largest EV assemblers on the continent, contributing significantly to local manufacturing and job creation.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently launched Ghana’s first EV and on-site charging station to further support the transition.
These four countries highlight the diverse strategies African nations are using to adopt electric vehicles.
Ghana and Kenya, for example, began their EV transition with two-wheelers and have steadily expanded into three- and four-wheelers, demonstrating scalable, step-by-step growth.
Across the continent, more governments are prioritizing sustainable transportation—an encouraging trend that is likely to drive EV prices down further.
This opens up vast opportunities along the EV value chain, including local manufacturing, vehicle assembly, battery supply, leasing services, and workforce training.
Chinese companies currently lead the EV innovation push in Africa, particularly in sub-Saharan regions.
Facing higher tariffs from the U.S. and EU, Chinese EV manufacturers are increasingly turning to Africa as a growth market.
They are forming strategic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partnerships with local auto assemblers, as well as collaborating with firms involved in leasing, infrastructure, and charging solutions.
[…] currently boasts a fleet of over 17,000 EVs—mostly two- and three-wheelers imported from China—with around 1,000 four-wheeled EVs on the […]