Supporting E-mobility Start-ups in Africa: A Case Study of Ghana’s Solar Taxi Limited

Transitioning to low-polluting transportation in congested African cities is crucial to improving public health and environmental quality of life while dealing with transport-linked greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Across Africa there are promising cases of local e-mobility start-ups, such as Ghana’s Solar Taxi providing sustainable mobility solutions through innovative business models. They are evolving battery chemistries, designing charging infrastructure and building markets through unique demand and purchase incentives designs. However, accelerated growth of the nascent sector is limited by multiple firm, consumer and investor level challenges, most of which are reflections of poor and/or lack of government policy, regulatory and other support measures. The prospect of a mature e-mobility ecosystem offering sustainable mobility solutions requires a comprehensive policy framework that integrates all relevant concerns. Localization of EV value chains requires regional alliances and collaboration and active support of start-ups in building partnerships with multinational enterprises in the e-mobility space.