BYD Partners with Ampersand to Promote Electrification of African Commercial Motorcycles
On June 19, TapTechNews reported that China's electric vehicle giant BYD has reached a cooperation agreement with the African electric vehicle new energy technology company Ampersand to jointly boost the electrification process of commercial motorcycles in Africa. This cooperation is regarded as a major important progress in the electrification of the African transportation field.
According to the agreement, BYD will become the main battery supplier for Ampersand, and the latter plans to produce about 40,000 electric motorcycles by the end of 2026. The common long-term goal of both parties is to electrify most of the 30 million commercial motorcycles in Africa. BYD's lithium iron phosphate battery has the advantages of long life, good safety, and affordable price, which is very suitable for large-scale electrification process.
As TapTechNews understands, motorcycles are an important means of transportation in many African countries, most of which are used for taxiing passengers. Currently, almost 99% of motorcycles in Africa use fuel engines, and there is huge electrification space and sufficient market potential. The development of electric vehicles in Africa, especially in the field of electric motorcycles, is mainly driven by private enterprises such as start-ups.
Ampersand is a leading enterprise in the African electric motorcycle ecosystem. The company said that its existing 3000 zero-emission electric motorcycles not only have lower operating costs but also can save users a lot of expenses, improve air quality, and enhance people's health.
The cooperation with BYD will enable Ampersand to rapidly expand the scale of its electric vehicle fleet and upgrade its charging infrastructure that is already in a leading position in Rwanda and Kenya. As African cities continue to expand and the number of riders increases, the demand for commercial motorcycles will also rise. The capacity increase of Ampersand will meet this demand and provide a sustainable solution for the economic growth of the African continent.