Africa’s electric vehicle (EV) market is accelerating rapidly — projected to reach $4.2 billion by 2030, more than double its current value, according to market research firm Mordor Intelligence. Yet most EVs still depend on grid electricity, which often comes from a mix of renewable and fossil fuel sources.
Bako Motors, a Tunisian startup, is looking to jump on the EV trend, while tapping into one of Africa’s greatest natural resources — sunshine. Its compact cars and cargo vans have solar panels on their roofs. While the vehicles still have lithium batteries and can be plugged in and charged at home or on the road, the solar panels give them access to a free energy source, charging the batteries directly. So far, the company has made just 100 vehicles but it plans to scale up and increase exports over the coming year.
“The solar cells provide us with more than 50% of our needs,” says Boubaker Siala, founder and CEO of Bako Motors. “For example, the B-Van, for commercial use, you can have free energy for about 50 kilometers (31 miles) per day… 17,000 kilometers (10,563 miles) per year. It’s huge.”
The company, founded in 2021, began making three-wheeled cargo vehicles, but has since moved to four-wheeled models. The B-Van, which can carry 400 kilograms (882 pounds) of cargo and has a 100 to 300-kilometer (62 to 186 mile) range, is designed for logistics and last-mile delivery, with prices starting at 24,990 Tunisian dinar ($8,500).