Originally published in Science, July 25, 2024.
Six years ago, my colleagues and I published an article in the World Economic Forum asking if Africa was ready for the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. At that time, the African EV sector was nascent, and we concluded that more data and research were needed to draw firmer conclusions, emphasizing the absence of Africa-specific data in major EV publications and calling for dedicated analysis tailored to the continent’s needs.
Not much has changed. Today, knowledge about African EV markets and pathways remains largely stagnant, with mainstream research and discourse largely overlooking Africa. Major EV outlooks from the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) still lack Africa-specific data beyond South Africa. Anecdotal narratives dominate the EV discourse on the continent—high-profile media articles and even authoritative sources like the IEA’s 2024 Global EV Outlook narrowly focus on promising African EV startups—but hardly provide a firm basis for smart policy or investment.
This knowledge gap isn’t just a problem for researchers: Excluding Africa from mainstream EV research and analysis threatens to stall the transformation of Africa’s transportation sector. Comprehensive data and insights are crucial to empower investors with market clarity, enable companies to scale, and equip policy-makers to tailor and champion EV agendas effectively. We need to close this evidence gap to move beyond anecdotal narratives and provide the data-based foundation Africa needs to fully participate in and benefit from the global EV revolution.
Read the full article here.