Chinese Capital and Companies Accelerate Push into Africa's E-Mobility Market; Spiro Secures $55M to Boost Local Production

On July 14, Africa’s electric motorcycle industry received a fresh boost. Shanghai-based Zengtu Capital invested $55 million in Spiro, an African electric two-wheeler company, to support its business expansion and battery-swapping network development. To date, Spiro has deployed over 100,000 electric motorcycles across seven African countries and built more than 2,000 battery-swap stations, while also advancing local manufacturing. The company aims to have 90% of its production value localized in Africa by next year and is currently in talks with two Chinese suppliers to produce battery cells locally, gradually shifting key components such as tires and batteries to local manufacturing. Africa currently has between 16 million and 20 million motorcycles in circulation, and the market size is expected to double by 2030. Facing intensifying competition from both domestic and Southeast Asian players, Africa has become a key growth frontier for China’s new energy sector. Beyond financial backing, Chinese electric motorcycle brands like Yadea and Tailg have already entered the African market, bringing their vehicle manufacturing capabilities and battery-swapping solutions. Leveraging China’s mature new energy supply chain and technical expertise, they are accelerating the transition from gasoline-powered motorcycles to electric ones across the continent.