Most of the technology the world has today is due to Africa. In the past, the continent was the birthplace of many scientific fields, as well as where the first humans were born, according to the laws of evolution. The role of the automotive industry has historically been tied to resource extraction rather than technological development in Africa. On the other hand, other countries and continents are often at the forefront of innovation, but now the game is about to be leveled with the new car built by an African company called Atlas E-Mobility Group.
The role in the automotive industry
Minerals mined across the continent have powered factories in Europe, Asia, and America for decades, yet few vehicles have rolled off local assembly lines bearing local innovation. The region’s automotive sector, long overshadowed, is now being reimagined as countries push for homegrown manufacturing and technological independence.
The southern part of the continent, in particular, is positioning itself at the center of this shift. Government initiatives and private investment are targeting electric mobility as a catalyst for industrial growth and job creation. While established automakers continue to dominate global EV markets, a new player has emerged from the southern tip of the continent, ready to challenge perceptions and mark Africa’s entry into the electric age.
While the world’s biggest economies, such as the United States, Europe, and China, are racing towards an electric future, Africa has mostly been left watching from the sidelines. One of the main reasons is the price. Price. Brand-new electric cars are simply too expensive for most people across the continent. That’s why older, gas-powered second-hand cars remain the most common option, even though they’re cheaper at the expense of the environment.
New electric vehicle
A company called Atlas E-Mobility Group has a bold plan: to launch the first-ever African-designed and engineered electric car by 2026. Headquartered in London, Atlas has its eyes on Morocco as the heart of this project. Morocco already plays a role in the automotive world, with global companies like Renault and Stellantis building gas-powered cars there, but no African company has ever developed a mass-market electric vehicle from the ground up.
Founded in 2021 by Mohammed Yehya El Bakkali and Mohammed Hicham Senhaji Hannoun, Atlas wants to do exactly that. Their goal? To create a car that’s affordable, practical, and inspired by Moroccan design, one was built specifically for emerging markets, like the Middle East, and parts of Europe where electric vehicle infrastructure is still scarce.
Atlas’s real plan with the car
They’re not just focused on the car itself. Atlas plans to develop technologies that improve battery range and build new charging networks to support its vehicles. Details are still under wraps, but the car will reportedly use an existing, proven EV platform as its base.
Building a reliable and affordable electric car isn’t easy, especially for a new company. But Atlas is aiming to prove that the future of electric mobility doesn’t belong only to the U.S., Europe, or China. Now, the continent is ready to take its place in the race. On the other hand, others have done it first, and this can give the company a competitive edge.
Learning from others’ mistakes
Instead of creating something from scratch, they can get what already exists and make it better, or make it their own with the plans, especially from Tesla. Musk’s EV company shared its plans online for others to see and be pushed to create more of it. Now, Tesla is moving to another sector: the autonomous drive. Their first fleet of driverless cabs hit the roads at the end of June, but there is still ground to cover before the actual launch.
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