Africa’s electric mobility growth opens new infrastructure investment opportunities

Charging networks, battery-swapping stations, fleet depots and supporting power systems emerge as the next phase of the continent’s mobility transition

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, September 18, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Africa’s electric mobility market is moving from isolated pilots towards commercial adoption, creating investment opportunities that extend beyond vehicles to the infrastructure required to keep them operating.

Sales of electric two-wheelers across Africa reached approximately 70,000 in 2025, more than 80 times the level recorded at the beginning of the decade, according to the International Energy Agency.

According to Nikhath Zigmund, Senior Advisor to the Africa Transition Acceleration Fund, the strongest early demand is emerging among commercial motorcycles, three-wheelers, buses, delivery fleets and logistics vehicles.

“These vehicles travel frequently, follow relatively predictable routes and consume significant amounts of fuel. For their operators, the lifetime cost of a vehicle matters more than its purchase price alone,” says Zigmund.

The economic case is strengthening as battery costs decline. Average global battery prices declined by 8% in 2025, following a 20% reduction in 2024. Electric vehicles can already offer lower running costs in high-use applications because of reduced fuel and maintenance expenses, even where the initial purchase price remains higher.

A motorcycle completing deliveries throughout the day or a bus operating along a fixed route can recover a higher upfront cost more quickly than a vehicle that spends much of its time parked.

The opportunity beyond the vehicle
Electric mobility depends on more than vehicle sales. Charging points, battery-swapping stations, grid connections, fleet depots, maintenance networks, digital payment systems and reliable electricity are all needed for operators to function consistently and expand.

“The vehicle is only one part of the opportunity,” says Zigmund. “Infrastructure serving several manufacturers and fleet operators can offer investors exposure to the wider market without requiring them to predict which individual vehicle brand or technology will eventually dominate.”

Charging networks, battery-swapping stations and electrified fleet depots become more investable when supported by contracted usage, predictable volumes and credible counterparties. These assets also have the potential to generate recurring revenue and be replicated across cities and countries.

Kenya provides an early indication of how mobility demand can translate into infrastructure revenue. Electricity consumed by the country’s e-mobility industry increased by 188% in 2025 to 8.43 GWh.

Kenya’s dedicated e-mobility tariff charges KSh16 per kWh during peak periods and KSh8 during off-peak hours, creating an incentive to charge vehicles when electricity demand is lower.

“Well-managed charging can improve the utilisation of existing power infrastructure and create a growing customer base for utilities,” says Zigmund. “However, grid planning must anticipate the growth of electric fleets to ensure that connections, substations and generation capacity are expanded before constraints emerge.”

Charging facilities can also be combined with renewable generation and battery storage. Solar power located alongside a bus depot, logistics hub or battery-swapping network could reduce pressure on the grid while improving charging reliability.

Different markets, different opportunities
Africa’s electric mobility transition will not follow a single model. South Africa can draw on its established automotive manufacturing base, while Morocco is developing battery and battery-material production, including a gigafactory with an initial planned capacity of 20 GWh.
Markets with substantial motorcycle and informal transport sectors may instead find opportunities in local assembly, battery swapping, fleet leasing and charging networks designed for high-use commercial vehicles.

The financing challenge is moving these businesses from early development to institutional scale. Investment in African electric mobility reached almost USD70 million in 2023, approximately eight times the level recorded in 2021.

“Blended finance and specialised transition capital can support the first depots, charging networks and operating platforms while their business models are refined,” says Zigmund.

“Once utilisation has been demonstrated, contracts established and cash flows made more predictable, these platforms can begin attracting larger pools of institutional capital.”

Electric mobility gives Africa an opportunity to build more than a market for imported vehicles. It can support new electricity demand, stronger utility economics, local industrial capabilities and infrastructure designed around how people and goods move across the continent.

“The vehicle will remain the most visible part of the transition, but the infrastructure around it will determine whether the opportunity delivers,” concludes Zigmund.

Elize Engle
Tishala Communications
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