Ampersand will acquire BYD’s advanced battery cells to manufacture approximately 40,000 electric motorcycles by the end of 2026, aiming to electrify a significant portion of Africa’s 30 million commercial motorcycles.
A Groundbreaking Collaboration for Sustainable Transportation
In a significant step towards electrifying Africa’s transportation sector, BYD, a leading global electric vehicle and battery manufacturer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ampersand, a prominent African EV energy tech company.
Ampersand is dedicated to reducing carbon emissions and promoting clean economic prosperity by making EV energy technology and infrastructure accessible to the mass market. BYD is renowned for its diverse range of electric vehicles and innovative “Blade” battery technology.
Accelerating Electric Motorcycle Adoption in Africa
This landmark partnership will significantly boost the development and deployment of electric motorcycles in Africa, as BYD and Ampersand join forces to decarbonize the continent’s commercial motorcycle transport system.
Ampersand will procure BYD’s cutting-edge lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery cells, known for their long lifespan, excellent safety record, and affordability, making them ideal for mass-market electrification.
Motorcycles, primarily used as taxis, are a vital mode of transportation in many African countries. With nearly 99% of these motorcycles still relying on internal combustion engines, the electrification of this sector presents a tremendous opportunity and a vast addressable market.
The shift towards electric vehicles in Africa, especially in the electric motorcycle sector, has been primarily driven by small startup companies in the private sector.
Expanding Electrification Across the “Boda Belt”
Most developments have concentrated along the “boda belt,” a region where motorcycle taxis are prevalent, stretching from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to Dakar, Senegal.
Additionally, smaller scooters in North African countries like Morocco primarily serve personal transportation, contrasting with East and West Africa, where commercial transport dominates.
Electric two-wheelers not only decarbonize transport but also improve air quality and offer drivers substantial savings on fuel and maintenance costs, thereby enhancing lives and livelihoods.
They also foster entrepreneurship and social mobility.
Ampersand, a leading player in Africa’s electric motorcycle ecosystem, boasts a fleet of 3,000 zero-emission electric motorcycles that are not only cost-effective but also contribute to cleaner air and improved health.
Scaling Up with BYD’s Battery Technology
The collaboration with BYD will enable Ampersand to rapidly expand its electric fleet and charging infrastructure, already the largest in Rwanda and Kenya.
This continued growth will allow Ampersand to meet the increasing demand for commercial motorcycles across Africa as cities expand and ridership grows, providing a sustainable solution to support the continent’s economic development.
Josh Whale, CEO of Ampersand, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting it as a major milestone in the company’s mission to provide sustainable, cost-effective, mass-market EV solutions.
He emphasized that the combination of BYD’s leading battery cells and manufacturing scale with Ampersand’s customer insights and product knowledge will accelerate the electrification of Africa’s commercial motorcycles.
Whale views the transition of millions of taxi and delivery motorcycles to electric energy technology as one of the world’s most valuable decarbonization opportunities, while also generating significant savings for riders and fostering clean economic prosperity.
A Logical First Step in Decarbonizing Transportation
Sihai Zhang of BYD Company acknowledged Ampersand’s pioneering role in electrifying Africa’s transport system, citing their technology and charging network, along with their exceptional customer understanding, as key factors in the partnership.
Electrifying the extensively used commercial motorcycles across Africa is considered a logical first step towards decarbonizing a vast potential market of motorcycles in the Global South.
BYD, the largest producer of plug-in electric vehicles, is rapidly increasing production, poised to become the world’s leading manufacturer of battery electric vehicles.
Partnering with such a prominent global company will allow Ampersand to significantly scale its production of electric motorcycles and expand its network of battery swapping centers as needed, ensuring a reliable supply of world-leading battery technology for its customers.