First for Africa: Volkswagen Launch Electric Mobility Project in Rwanda
Electric mobility has been making waves into several cities and countries around the world. However, technology like this has a reputation of being adopted much later in African countries. Most manufacturers play the safe bet by not introducing electric models into African markets at all, but we will never know if we could go electric until we actually get a chance. That’s where Volkswagen comes in. They’re collaborating with Siemens to bring a handful of electric e-Golf’s into Rwanda to observe the feasibility of electric mobility in Africa.
The pilot phase will bring four e-Golfs and one charging station, provided by Siemens, to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. This is a milestone in itself because Rwanda will be the first African country to introduce a VW electric car.
Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen Group South Africa and responsible for the Sub-Sahara Africa Region, said: “The success of our innovative and pioneering mobility solutions business has shown us that Rwanda has the potential to leapfrog the internal combustion engines into electric cars. Rwanda has a young and progressive population that appreciates individual and modern mobility. Together with our development partner Siemens and with the support from the Government of Rwanda, Volkswagen wants to make the e-Golf pilot project in Rwanda a blueprint for electric mobility in Africa.”
Sabine Dall’Omo, CEO for Siemens Southern and Eastern Africa said: “Our partnership with Volkswagen on this project solidifies our commitment not only to Rwanda but to the East Africa region. By contributing towards shaping the African market for intelligent, adaptive infrastructure, while addressing skills challenges in this sector, Siemens is helping to build a more sustainable future for the people of Rwanda.”
The four e-Golfs will not go to four individual drivers, instead being added to the Volkswagen Mobility Solutions fleet that provides customised mobility services to the people of Rwanda. If the pilot phase goes well, we could see the number of e-Golfs go up from 4 to 50 vehicles, along with 14 new charging stations.
Thomas Schäfer commented: “The integrated mobility solutions business in Rwanda is our lighthouse project. In the past year, our operations in Kigali have provided us with valuable lessons and business intelligence which we plan to utilise in our growth strategy into other African markets like Ghana and Ethiopia.”
Also worth a look: the Volkswagen Golf and the Volkswagen Touareg.
FAQ
Q: What is Volkswagen's electric mobility project in Rwanda about?
Volkswagen is partnering with Siemens to bring four e-Golf electric vehicles and one charging station to Kigali, Rwanda, making it the first African country to pilot VW electric cars and test the feasibility of electric mobility on the continent.
Q: Why did Volkswagen choose Rwanda for this electric car pilot project?
Rwanda was selected because it has a young, progressive population that appreciates modern mobility solutions, plus the government is supportive of innovative transportation projects, making it an ideal testing ground for electric vehicles in Africa.
Q: Will the Volkswagen e-Golf be available to buy in South Africa?
The e-Golf is currently only being tested in Rwanda as a pilot project, and Volkswagen hasn't announced plans to bring electric vehicles to the South African market yet, though this project could pave the way for future electric car sales across Africa.
Q: What does this mean for electric cars in Africa?
This pilot project could serve as a blueprint for electric mobility across Africa, potentially proving that African markets are ready for electric vehicles and encouraging other manufacturers to introduce EVs to the continent.
Should You Buy It?
You can't actually buy the e-Golf in South Africa right now, as it's only being tested in Rwanda. While this pilot project is exciting news for electric mobility in Africa, South African buyers looking for electric vehicles will need to wait and see if Volkswagen decides to expand their EV offerings to our market. For now, your best bet for going electric in SA is looking at other brands like BMW or Jaguar that already offer electric models locally, though they'll cost you well over R1 million. Keep an eye on this space though, because if Rwanda's pilot goes well, we might see affordable VW electric cars hitting South African roads sooner than expected.
