Kenya is leading Africa’s mobility revolution as electric vehicles, backed by supportive government policy, drive cleaner transport, new industries, and inclusive economic growth.

A new electric bike rolls off the assembly line every seven minutes. A dollop of grease is put in the steering column. The wheels are put in place, and a thorough all-points inspection is conducted. By the time that happens, the worker who first applied the grease has already moved on to two other electric bikes.

It could be China. It could be Italy. It could be a new segment for Tesla’s Elon Musk. However, this state-of-the-art manufacturing center is situated on Old Mombasa Road in Nairobi, Kenya. 

At its maximum capacity, the facility could produce 100,000 bikes per year. Spiro has built one of Africa’s largest electric vehicle (EV) fleets across eight countries. Over 35,000 have been produced so far this year, surpassing 20 million battery swaps and over 600 battery swapping stations. 

Green Industrialization, Made in Africa

Spiro stands at the forefront, championing a locally rooted, globally competitive model of green industrialization.

The spread of EVs in many countries has been a revelation. In Africa, a mobility revolution is underway. The youngest continent in the world, with a rapidly urbanizing population, is demanding more flexible transport solutions.

In Nigeria, companies such as Siltech and Metro Africa Xpress (MAX) are not only deploying electric vehicles but also producing the vehicles locally.

Favorable government policies have helped. In Rwanda, the government........

© The National Interest