Africa’s imports of electric motorcycles and three-wheelers from China rose sharply in the first half of 2026, underscoring a divide in the continent's transition to electric vehicles.
Two- and three-wheelers account for a large share of vehicles on African roads and are heavily used commercially. So, switching to electric from gasoline and diesel engines could cut fuel consumption and urban air pollution.
Northern African countries like Morocco, Egypt and Algeria led the 60% surge in the continent's imports, to $114.6 million. 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 $21.7 million, followed by Egypt and Algeria. In sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa had the most imports, with 19,635 electric bikes worth $6.9 million.
