By Conrad Onyango
Chinese electric vehicle auto brands—many in operation for just over 10 years—are shifting their focus to Africa as an alternative market as they shy away from high import tariff regimes in Europe, the US, and Canada.
Africa is becoming a new market for Chinese electric vehicle auto brands as trade frictions loom between Beijing and Europe, the US and Canada, with the import of heavily subsidised Chinese-built EVs in the crosshairs of market regulators.
In mid-June, the European Commission announced an increase in tariffs to 38.1% on imports of Chinese-built green vehicles, arguing that these vehicles benefit from Chinese government subsidies, infringing on fair competition in the European common market.
The US and Canada have also raised concerns over subsidies offered by the Chinese government and proposed even higher (100%) tariffs on Chinese-made EV imports.
Now, Chinese EV makers are turning to Africa as their best alternative market—ramping up their push into the continent through the expansion of dedicated stores to more countries and partnerships with local companies to venture into the market.
One of Europe’s best-selling Chinese electric vehicle brands, BYD (Build Your Dreams), launched a showroom in Zambia this September—its fourth market in Africa.
BYD has entered into a strategic partnership with Pilatus Electric Mobility Zambia Limited (PEM) to showcase a range of electric vehicles (EVs) and affirm its commitment to expanding its footprint in Africa.
In January 2024, BYD entered the market in Rwanda and has recently joined forces with the country’s Ampersand, following successful launches in South Africa in July 2023 and Kenya in 2022.
In Kenya, EV company BasiGo and local manufacturer Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA) have committed to integrating BYD’s technology.
In June, another Chinese brand, NETA Auto, opened its first flagship store in Kenya and is looking to leverage this debut to venture into other African markets.
“Kenya not only serves as a gateway to Southern, Central, and Eastern Africa but is also a key node in the Belt and Road Initiative. By leveraging Kenya’s strategic location, NETA Auto aims to deepen economic and trade ties with African countries,” said the company in a statement.
Neta is a brand developed by Hozon New Energy Automobile, an EV manufacturer that was established in 2014 and produced 127,500 vehicles in 2023. Over the next two years, the automaker plans to enter 20 countries, open 100 stores, and achieve an annual sales volume of over 20,000 units within three years in Africa.
Another smart electric vehicle company, XPENG, also founded in 2014 in China, partnered with an Egyptian automaker, Raya Auto, to introduce two of its brands in the North African market.
“Our company is confident in the promising opportunities that lie within the Egyptian market, and we are enthusiastic about introducing cutting-edge and environmentally friendly electric vehicle technology to consumers in Egypt. We anticipate great success in the market,” said XPENG MEA region general manager Wang Ke in a statement.
Research firm Statista projects Africa’s electric vehicle sales in 2024 to be slightly over 2,000 units and grow to over 3,600 by 2029, citing government incentives and the need for sustainable transportation solutions as key adoption drivers. It also affirms Chinese auto brands as key beneficiaries in this US$204.8m market in 2024.
“From an international perspective, it is evident that China will generate the highest revenue in the electric vehicle market,” according to Statista.
The expanding lineup of Chinese EV brands is also expected to rattle the larger general car market in Africa currently enjoyed by European and Japanese brands like Volkswagen, Toyota Motor, and Suzuki Motor.
The bigger advantage the Chinese makers will have over the traditionally known brands will be the electric-powered variants and perhaps an attractive price point since European and Japanese brands in the market are largely focused on gasoline-powered vehicles with only a few EV models locally.
New vehicle sales in Africa stood at 1, 049, 842 by the close of 2023, with South Africa the largest car market recording the biggest sales at 531, 787, followed by Morocco (161 504) and Egypt (86 044), according to data by the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers (OICA).
Used vehicles in Africa however, make up a significant portion, accounting for 85% of the overall vehicle fleet on the continent, according to research firm Mordor Intelligence.
Among all the countries in Africa, Mordor Intelligence cites Egypt and Morocco as the growth enablers for Africa’s used car market, owing to their widespread consumer groups and support for used cars. South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya are the next countries keeping pace with the market with the two North African countries.
“Consumers in the regions were deeply attracted to these used cars owing to an increase in their purchasing capabilities and a hike in their average disposable income during recent times,” said the research firm.
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