Chinese electric bike imports surge as Africa’s EV investments diversify

Africa’s imports of electric motorcycles and three-wheelers from China rose sharply in the first half of 2026, an increase that highlights a divide in the continent’s transition to electric vehicles (EVs).

Two and three-wheelers account for a large share of vehicles on African roads and are heavily used commercially. So, switching to electric from petrol and diesel engines could cut fuel consumption and urban air pollution.

Northern African countries such as Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria led the 60% surge in the continent’s imports to $114.6m (R1.85bn). The region has become a major destination for fully built Chinese electric scooters.

Investments in EV startups, meanwhile, are concentrated in East and Central Africa, where companies are building local assembly plants, battery-swapping networks and commercial motorcycle ecosystems.

Morocco led in imports in the first half, importing 80,188 units worth $21.7m (R350.2m), followed by Egypt and Algeria. In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa had the most imports, with 19,635 electric bikes worth $6.9m (R111.3m).

Peter Kossakowski, an independent electric two- and three-wheeler specialist who has worked across Africa, said the difference reflects two distinct markets.

“In North Africa, Chinese imports are largely electric scooters and mopeds bought by consumers for commuting and short trips,” he said. In East and West Africa, motorcycles are more often commercial assets used by riders for up to 150km a day to carry passengers and goods.

Spiro, Africa’s largest EV bike firm, raised more than $348m (R5.61bn) in investments in the past year, while other companies are investing in local assembly, battery-swapping and charging networks aimed at commercial motorcycle taxi and delivery markets.

Tom Courtright, a non-resident fellow at the African Tech Futures Lab, said Chinese manufacturers supply many of the electric motorcycles used in East and West Africa, but local companies are adapting them for commercial use and operating the energy infrastructure.

Battery swapping allows commercial riders to replace depleted batteries rather than wait for a motorcycle to recharge, making the model more suited to riders who depend on the bikes for their daily earnings, he said.

Courtright said electric motorcycles are more likely to replace petrol bikes than to expand the overall motorcycle market, though lower running and maintenance costs could increase demand by about 20%.

The transition is already gaining ground. Electric motorcycles accounted for about 20% of motorcycle sales in Uganda last year and roughly 15% in Kenya, Courtright said.

The shift could also reduce fuel imports. Courtright estimated that widespread electrification of motorcycles could eventually displace about $600m (R9.67bn) in fuel imports in Uganda and between $600m and $800m (R12.9bn) in Kenya.

The Chinese customs data captures vehicles entering a country, not necessarily those registered or used there, Kossakowski said.