The Underground EV Revolution Driven by a Kenyan's Billion-Dollar Vision
Release Date: 09/11/2025
The Silent Crisis Killing African EV Manufacturing
The Africa EV Show
In this episode, we go behind the scenes of African hardware innovation with Eugene Wang’ombe, founder of Husksberry Engineering. In this episode of The Africa EV Show, we explore the real challenges and strategic choices facing local manufacturers who are building advanced products like electric go-karts from the ground up. Wang’ombe reveals why China remains the go-to source for critical components—from electric motors and batteries to specialized tooling—and the trade-offs between cost, customizability, and local knowledge transfer. We also tackle the big questions: Can Kenya ever...
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Petrol to Plug: Inside Ghana’s EV and Used Car Market
The Africa EV Show
Can electric vehicles really thrive in a country where second-hand petrol and diesel cars still rule the roads? 🇬🇭 In this episode of The Africa EV Show, host Njenga Hakeenah sits down with Eddie Opoku, founder of Ghana’s Ryde Channel, to unpack the realities of electric mobility in one of West Africa’s most dynamic car markets. From the streets of Accra, where Chinese-made EVs are popping up beside used Toyotas, to the challenges of charging infrastructure, battery confidence, and resale value, this conversation explores the forces shaping Ghana’s transition from internal...
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Training Africa’s EV Technicians: How Kenya is Preparing For E-Mobility Future
The Africa EV Show
In this episode of The Africa EV Show, host Njenga Hakeenah sits down with Alex Mũnene, Founder and fleet mobility expert at Advanced Mobility Kenya, to explore how training programs are shaping the continent’s electric vehicle shift. From driver and mechanic training to policy and investment lessons from Rwanda, Ethiopia, and the DRC, this episode dives deep into how skills development, education, and hands-on programs are preparing Africa for the electric future. Mũnene, who organized Kenya’s first EV driver and technical training, shares on-the-ground insights about: ⚡ The...
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Local Assembly & Chinese EVs Powering Kenya’s Electric Vehicle Shift
The Africa EV Show
Welcome to The Africa EV Show, where we explore the forces driving Africa’s clean mobility revolution from policy and technology to the people shaping the future of transport. In this episode, host Njenga Hakeenah sits down with Dennis Wakaba, an e-mobility consultant and industry expert, to unpack Kenya’s double approach to help with the shift to e-mobility from importing fully built EVs to assembling locally-made electric buses, cars, and motorbikes many powered by Chinese technology. This week, the discussion focuses on how Chinese EV tech is continuing to shape Kenya’s electric...
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The Underground EV Revolution Driven by a Kenyan's Billion-Dollar Vision
The Africa EV Show
Discover the silent, under-the-radar electric vehicle revolution happening in Kenya! In this episode of The Africa EV Show, Njenga Hakeenah sits down with Peter Kihara, the visionary behind Teachers Transporters. Kihara shares his incredible journey from the traditional transport industry to becoming a pioneer in customizing and importing Chinese electric vehicles ranging from motorcycles to tuk-tuks and small cars- specifically designed for African needs. He reveals how he travels to China with designs "in his brain" to create affordable, practical EVs for the Kenyan market. In this...
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Citi's Approach to Financing Africa’s Green Mobility
The Africa EV Show
The African electric vehicle (EV) market is projected to grow by 25 percent annually over the next five years. This means that stakeholders, including financiers, have to plan for this expansion if they are to benefit from the sector. In this week’s conversation, Kwasi Frimpong from Citi discusses the challenges and opportunities in financing EVs in African countries. He highlights the economic barriers to EV adoption, including high upfront costs, limited infrastructure, and restrictive tariffs. The discussion also covers the role of government policies, the impact of Chinese investment,...
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Customer Feedback Shaping Spiro’s E-bike Design in Uganda
The Africa EV Show
E-mobility is beginning to take root in Uganda, and for companies like Spiro, success has hinged on listening closely to customers. Just over a year after entering the market, Spiro has installed more than 150 charging stations nationwide, underscoring the demand for affordable mobility solutions. Central to its approach is a feedback-driven model of product development. Instead of relying solely on boardroom strategies or design studio concepts, the company incorporates input from riders at every stage. That process has already produced four iterations of its electric motorcycles, each shaped...
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Why Africa’s EV Revolution is Stuck at the Border: The Hidden Trade Barriers Killing Electric Mobility
The Africa EV Show
This episode of The Africa EV show delves into the critical challenges facing electric mobility in Africa, particularly focusing on intra-African trade barriers. The discussion highlights how tariff walls, customs friction, and inconsistent standards hinder the movement of electric vehicle components and finished products across borders. The conversation also explores the role of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA) in reducing these barriers, the impact of currency conversion on trade, and the challenges of human capital movement. Njenga Hakeenah hosts Samuel Kamunya,...
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Youthful Technicians Building Malawi’s E-bikes Driven by Chinese Tech
The Africa EV Show
In this conversation, SGV co-founder and director, Evan Liu, joins The Africa EV Show host Njenga Hakeenah to discuss the evolving landscape of electric mobility in Africa, with a particular focus on Malawi's efforts to electrify transportation through SGV's initiatives. The conversation examines the challenges of raising capital in the African market, the dynamics of global supply chains, and the importance of local manufacturing in achieving a competitive advantage. Among the discussion highlights are the significant cost savings offered by electric vehicles and the potential for local...
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How China’s EV Price War Could Disrupt Africa’s Auto Future
The Africa EV Show
The electric vehicle market is heating up, but not in the way you might expect. In this episode of The Africa EV Show, host Njenga Hakeenah is joined by Lei Xing, co-host of China EVs & More, to unpack the brutal price war currently shaking up the global EV industry and the implications for Africa’s emerging EV landscape. At the center of this pricing battle is China’s EV giant BYD, which recently announced deep discounts that bring the price of its Seagull model down to just $8,000. While this may sound like a win for affordability, it could upend markets across the globe, including...
info_outlineDiscover the silent, under-the-radar electric vehicle revolution happening in Kenya!
In this episode of The Africa EV Show, Njenga Hakeenah sits down with Peter Kihara, the visionary behind Teachers Transporters.
Kihara shares his incredible journey from the traditional transport industry to becoming a pioneer in customizing and importing Chinese electric vehicles ranging from motorcycles to tuk-tuks and small cars- specifically designed for African needs.
He reveals how he travels to China with designs "in his brain" to create affordable, practical EVs for the Kenyan market.
In this conversation, the two discuss competition with Chinese dealers, savings drivers made by switching from fuel to electric, and the company’s innovative "lease-to-own" financing model.
Kihara also has an ambitious plan to retrofit 200,000 petrol motorcycles to electric and locally assemble the vehicles, as well as the role of the government in boosting the sector.
This is a powerful story of African ingenuity, utilizing green technology to solve local problems and building a business that aims to become a billion-dollar company.
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