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New Energy Vehicles and Just Energy Transition in Africa: Unlocking Synergies for a Sustainable Future

New Energy Vehicles (NEVs) are emerging as a cornerstone of cleaner mobility in Africa and globally. In 2023 alone, over 14 million electric cars were sold, accounting for around 18% of global car sales, with projections indicating exponential growth in the years ahead.

While Africa currently holds only a small share of this market, momentum is building—particularly in countries like Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and Nigeria. There, supportive policies and private sector innovation are laying the groundwork for NEV adoption, with rapidly growing economies and populations driving future demand.

Yet NEVs represent more than just cleaner air or lower carbon emissions. In Africa, they sit at the intersection of transport and energy—and could become a powerful enabler of the continent’s Just Energy Transition (JET).

What is Just Energy Transition (JET)?

JET is a policy framework that aims to ensure the shift to a low-carbon economy is socially inclusive, equitable, and economically empowering—placing people’s needs at the centre of the process. It acknowledges that energy transitions must also address employment, energy access, and community resilience, particularly in emerging economies across the continent.

In Africa—where nearly 600 million people still lack access to electricity, accounting for more than 80% of the global electricity access gap—the JET framework is crucial. It supports the development of a clean energy future that guarantees local livelihoods, promotes participation, and aligns decarbonisation with wider development goals.

NEVs + JET = A Strategic Opportunity

NEV adoption directly supports JET objectives in several impactful ways.

First, through green job creation. Developing NEV value chains—from local battery assembly and EV maintenance to charging infrastructure and software—can generate thousands of skilled jobs across the continent.

Second, NEVs offer potential for energy system resilience. Technologies like Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X), though still in early stages, could enable EVs to act as distributed energy storage units. In urban areas with unreliable electricity supply, this could enhance grid stability and better integrate new renewable energy inputs.

Third, widespread NEV adoption could reduce fossil fuel dependency, allowing African countries to power transport systems with domestic renewable energy—from solar and wind to hydro. This shift would strengthen energy security and reduce trade deficits.

JET-ing Ahead: South Africa and Senegal Lead 

Several African countries are already embracing JET-aligned strategies. South Africa’s $8.5 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP)—launched at COP26—focuses on retiring coal infrastructure while supporting renewable energy development and job retraining. Though not the main focus, NEVs are increasingly part of this vision, if indirectly.

Similarly, Senegal has launched a €2.5 billion JETP, aiming to increase renewables to 40% of electricity generation by 2030 (French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, 2023).

Initiatives like South Africa’s Komati repowering project, supported by the World Bank, illustrate how decommissioned coal plants can be converted into renewable energy hubs—paving the way for a just and green mobility future.

JET-setting the Way Forward with NEVs

As Africa shapes its transport future, aligning NEV development with JET principles will ensure the transition is not only clean, but also fair, resilient, and inclusive—benefiting all, not just a privileged few.

This topic, and the strategic synergy of NEVs with the Just Energy Transition, will be further explored at Enlit Africa through panel discussions hosted by SMA.

References

https://www.iea.org/reports/global-ev-outlook-2024/trends-in-electric-cars
https://www.iisd.org/articles/insight/just-energy-transition-partnerships
https://unsdg.un.org/latest/stories/decoding-africa%E2%80%99s-energy-journey-three-key-numbers
https://dalberg.com/our-ideas/how-investment-in-skill-development-can-power-africas-electric-mobility-transformation/
https://manufacturingafrica.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/from-minerals-to-manufacturing_africa-competitiveness-in-global-battery-supply-chains_core-report-updated.pdf
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_21_5768
https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2022/11/04/south-africa-eskom-just-energy-transition-project-approved

About the author

Daniel Barham
Project Manager | e-Mobility, Clean-Tech, Digital Media

Daniel Barham

A highly motivated and resourceful project manager with extensive experience in the e-Mobility and energy management-infrastructure space. Passionate about Clean-Tech, and determined to work with an organisation that actively contributes towards sustainable international development.