Chinese EV manufacturer BYD and African EV energy technology company, Ampersand have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the decarbonisation of Africa’s commercial motorcycle transport system.
Details
As its main supplier, Ampersand will buy BYD’s high-tech battery cells to develop 40,000 electric motorcycles by the end of 2026, with the long-term goal of electrifying much of Africa’s 30 million commercial motorcycles.
The partnership with BYD will allow Ampersand to rapidly scale its electric fleet and charging infrastructure, which is already the largest in Rwanda and Kenya.
This continued scaling will enable Ampersand to meet the growing demand for commercial motorcycles across Africa as its cities expand and ridership increases, providing a sustainable solution to support the continent’s economic growth.
What they say
Josh WeilCEO of Ampersand, said:This partnership marks an important milestone for Ampersand as we continue to lead the way in providing sustainable, cost-effective mass market EV solutions.
“BYD’s world-leading battery cells and manufacturing scale, combined with Ampersand’s deep customer knowledge and technical product knowledge will help fast-track Africa’s commercial motorcycle electrification.
“Switching millions of two-wheeled taxis and deliveries to electric power technologies represents one of the best value-for-money decarbonisation opportunities in the world. At the same time, this transformation will save millions of hard-working motorcyclists six hundred dollars each year, leading to net economic prosperity.”
Shihai ZhangBYD Company, said:Ampersand’s electric motorcycle charging technology and network, combined with an excellent understanding of its customers, make the company stand out from BYD as the clear leader in the electrification of Africa’s transport system.
“Electrifying the heavily used commercial motorcycles found across Africa is a logical first step in decarbonising a very large potential motorcycle market across the Global South.”
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