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E-Motion Africa: Retrofitting ICE vehicles to EVs in Tanzania

February 03, 2025

Based in Tanzania, E-Motion Africa partners with local companies and Arusha Technical College to retrofit internal combustion engines and build new skills towards a sustainable future.

Through this process, the programme has employed 10 local staff and intermittently employs over 15 temporary staff for project installations. The e-safari vehicle’s 55kWh battery pack provides between 50-300 kilometers of range per full charge.

“The project converts internal combustion engines (ICE) to electric vehicles (EV) and offers a portable charging system that can be used wherever electricity or solar power is available.”

This project was inspired by eco-friendly tourism practices wherein silent and zero emissions e-safari vehicles provide an organic ambience and holistic naturistic experience. The project’s mission is to revolutionise the Tanzanian tourism industry by reducing the environmental impact of its vehicles in a manner that has proved cost-effective to its safari tour operators.

Since its birth, the project has retrofitted over 15 e-safari vehicles and launched 10 charging points between Arusha and Serengeti National Park. The company aims to be able to transform the bulk of 4×4 and utility vehicles brands.

E-Motion has expanded its mobility offering to include retrofitted electric motorbikes, three-wheelers and public buses. Despite its main challenge of global battery price changes, the project has also improved the charging terminals that allow the batteries to charge in under 30 minutes.

The project has had capital injections of over $500,000 from its local Tanzanian partners: Hanspaul Group, Gadgetronix, DL Consulting and Arusha Technical College, which nurtures young and innovative engineers.

At present, the project is in its production phase. Still, it intends to expand its services into other East and Central African countries which have expressed interest, including Rwanda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo. ESI

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ESI Africa
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