Automotive technology keeps changing: Is Africa adapting?

Over the years, there has been tremendous advancement in automotive technology, which has evolved rapidly from engines using fossil fuels to power transportation to the hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) to others that can drive themselves.

Indeed, the integration of technological advances has made vehicles more user-friendly, with features improving their value and benefits.

The change now offers much more than driving; it is now an experience!

 But of particular interest, which l want to have a conversation about is on the engine technologies with hybrids offering a great deal of fuel efficiency and reduced emissions and the EVs, which offer zero emissions and very low maintenance costs because of running without an engine. 

With the increase in global environmental protection requirements to combat climate change and changes in energy structure, hybrid and EVs are increasingly valued by several markets in different continents.

The automakers are also increasing their investment in pure electric and plug-in hybrid technologies to reduce dependence on traditional fossil fuels.

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It is reported that 14 million EVs were registered in 2023 alone, bringing the total number on the units on the roads to 40 million cars.

The EVs registered in 2023 was a 35% jump from the 2022 figure and is actually six times higher than in 2018, just five years earlier, clearly confirming the rise in popularity.

 Apparently the EV sales data is significantly concentrated in just a few major markets.  In 2023, just under 60% of the new electric car registrations were in the People’s Republic of China, just under 25% in Europe and 10% in the United States.

It is, therefore, imperative to analyse the reasons why Africa is not yet consuming these new engine technologies and perhaps push a conversation around what the key stakeholders should do to improve the situation to optimise their use and be in tandem with the rest of the world.

There is no doubt in my mind about the existing hesitation by the markets in Africa to use these hybrids and electric vehicle powered cars.

Despite the many advantages that these new engines are offering, sadly  the majority of customers in Africa are literally afraid to buy these cars, with statistics suggesting that only 1% of the EVs are being used in this continent.

 I have personally been involved in the conversations with customers initially interested in the cars, perhaps attracted by what they hear or read as the benefits.

But sadly, the customers end up refusing to buy and revert to the internal combustion engines.

I have learnt with time that some of the reasons that cause the change of mind includes:

nThere are no charging stations available within shorter distances convenient to everyone across the countries within Africa.  I recently read an article, which stated that Harare will soon have two public charging stations for EVs in Westgate and Borrowdale.

nThe charging time will be one hour to full and will cost 0.40c per kwh.

While this is good news and a first step, the effort is too small to boost interest from the public to embrace the EVs in Zimbabwe.

I believe that the government should negotiate with Chinese EV manufacturers to invest in this infrastructure in the country because they have interest to open up the market for brand new and used EVs.

China is currently pushing an agenda to expand its used vehicle exports which are largely going to be EVs within the next 15 years from now.

Furthermore, l also think that the government can allocate a budget annually for this purpose under the climate change agenda.  Tesla has been at the forefront of investing in charging stations and they also secured funding from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law in the USA, winning almost 13% of all EV charging awards from the law, earning it a total of more than US$17 million in infrastructure grants. The hybrid batteries appear very expensive.

Generally, the actual price depends on the type of vehicle make and model, but on average, the cost of a brand new battery is between US$2 000 and US$8 000.

These figures, at face value, genuinely appear very expensive.

However, the warranty of the batteries is around eight years or 150 000km.

In many cases, the batteries last for over 200 000km before you need to replace it.  So assuming that you are doing 25 000km per year with your car it means you will need to replace the battery after eight years.

So replacing the battery after eight years, my conviction is that the price is not that expensive as people fear.

And again there is an opportunity to drive the production of the batteries within the African countries because we have some of the minerals required for the manufacturing such as lithium, nickel, cobalt, manganese, aluminum and copper.

 Recently, the Zambian government announced that they are set to begin the manufacturing of EV batteries within a few months through a collaboration with the Chinese government.

The manufacturing factory is said to be at the Zambia-Jiangxi Multi-Facility Economic Zone in Chibombo district.

As a result of the fact that there are very few brand new or used hybrid and  EVs being sold within the African markets, it results in the availability of the spares being very bad.

Although the spares can easily be sourced from USA, Europe and Asia who are using these cars in big numbers, the lack of convenience affects the market.

As a matter of fact, one can easily buy any part from Dubai and transport it by air or sea or via sea consolidation to make the costs very affordable.

Off course, l do understand that people are worried if it takes two weeks to a month just to get the spares, but they should understand that it is doable and not a deal breaker.

As a result of many African countries not purchasing these car models as brand new, there has never been a strong plan to transfer expertise to service and repair these vehicles through the official new vehicle sales dealerships.

Ordinarily, this is the channel that usually receives the expertise through a deliberate structure of training mechanics to support the supplied vehicles.

So if few people import used units or if some returning residence bring their Hybrid or EV cars upon returning home, sadly those vehicles will not have support in those countries.

*Stanley Makombe has 24 years’ experience in this industry, provides online car sales training and business coaching to entrepreneurs struggling to run profitably. He is writing in his own capacity and can be contacted on +254 743 900 590, on X @Stan_Carsales, email: stanley@stanleymakombe.com, www.stanleymakombe.com

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Most buyers over consult from among others; their mechanics, their spouse, immediate family members and extended family members to their work mates before making the final decision.

 I don’t think it is wrong to consult and get advice but unfortunately some of the advices are not based on real facts.

 Some family members end up using a popular opinion as basis of their decision.

I have also learnt that some of the mechanics are not yet well versed with the hybrid and EV vehicle technologies and hence they actually lake expertise to advise but they still go on to give advice anyway that usually makes the buyer decide to stop buying these cars.

This situation leads to misinformation which unfortunately is also now available on google as if it is factual data.

We are faced with a particular scenario that l know is soon going to affect the market, hence there are some recommendations that are necessary for African countries, through their governments, to start looking into the pillars that influences the use of these engines to reduce emissions and contribute to the global warming challenge while helping its people to embrace the new technology and save money.

The rapid production of EV cars with BYD from China producing three million cars in 2023, Tesla from USA producing 1.8 million cars in 2023 and BMW, Mercedes, Volvo, Audi and Hyundai being part of the top EV manufacturers speaks volumes of the inevitable situation to push the supply of used EVs into Africa. Africa is a big consumer of used cars.

There was a particular scenario in Japan where the Toyota Prius Hybrid units where pilling up in Japan with no market in Africa just like other used cars.

The engagement was seeking to find ways to educate the market the correct facts about the Hybrid cars and perhaps open up the market pipeline.

So this goes to prove that the manufacturers and distributors have vested interests to make the resale of used units well-oiled in order to support the demand for new cars consistently.

The market should also open its eyes and see where things are going.

The customers should smell the coffee and embrace the positive changes in these engines because you get to spend less on the pump and those using the cars on commercial basis make more profits compared to those stuck in the old age technology engines.

I still meet customers who want to buy only a manual gearbox on the latest 2024 Toyota Landcruiser LC300 SUV, but it’s not possible.

 I still encounter some customers insisting on a 2024 Toyota Landcruiser Prado with a wheel at the back, but it is not possible because the new model has its spare tyre fitted underneath.

I have personally used a 2014 Toyota Prius Hybrid car, which was part of our pool car.

It is amazing that it was giving us around 23kms per liter and with a 40ltr tank it would give us 920kms before going back to the petrol station.

So in my experience of driving a hybrid engine l realized that some people get confused when the engine goes off.

Yes – it has an intelligent switching system which chooses the most efficient power combination for driving situation.

At higher speeds the petrol engine does most of the work, while at lower speeds, the electric motor takes over.

So l got the point that because one cannot hear the sound of the running engine some customers feels that it is complicated to operate.

So perhaps it suffices to say with the next engine technologies “it is not the driving as usual” lets learn to adapt and catchup.

The application of intelligent technology is gradually penetrating into the engine management system, such as the use of advanced sensors, control algorithms and artificial intelligence technology to optimise engine performance.

At the same time, the combination with the internet of vehicles technology enables the engine's operating data to be monitored in real time and remotely diagnosed, improving maintenance efficiency and vehicle safety.

In short, the automotive engine industry is in a period of rapid development and change.

With the advancement of technology and changes in market demand, future automotive engines will be more efficient, environmentally friendly and intelligent.

 It is crucial for consumers and manufacturers to understand these development trends.

Convenience and comfort have also increased with the introduction of infotainment systems, navigation systems, backup cameras, automatic start/stop technology, and driver assistance systems.

Today, vehicles continue to evolve with advancements in technology, focusing on electric and autonomous vehicles, improved safety features, and enhanced passenger experiences.

As we move forward, it will be exciting to see how vehicles adapt to meet our changing needs and preferences but you are encouraged to embrace the changes and enjoy them.