Mobility is the ability to move, and when this involves a certain distance an aid is usually employed.
Mobility aids now though they help us have also increased the harmful emissions into the environment.
Harmful emissions such as Carbon monoxide from vehicles especially with recurrent traffic jams have over time led to the depleting of the ozone layer resulting in global warming.
Eliminating these emissions thus is the best option of averting further deterioration, that is where e-mobility comes in.
E-mobility, therefore, is any means of transportation that is powered directly by either electricity or a hydrogen combustion engine, which converts the hydrogen into electricity.
Unlike fossil fuel-powered vehicles, these e-mobility vehicles emit a small fraction or none of the harmful emissions. Rather they are efficient, low cost, and environmentally friendly.
During Africa Climate Week which was held earlier in the year, discussion about climate risk was discussed.
It was reported that proffered solutions were going to reshape various sectors, and transportation is one of such sectors.
However, transitioning from fossil fuels-powered vehicles to electric vehicles in Africa isn’t as simple as the postulated theories.
Some African countries such as South Africa, Uganda are already making favorable policies that would aid the integration of e-mobility into their society under their national climate action plans.
In addition to that, the South African government also has in place a form of differentiated taxation for electric-enabled vehicles. This is in addition to building more infrastructure that would serve as changing spots for such e-vehicles.
Nigeria too in a bid to follow through and show their e-mobility project commissioned a charging spot for solar-powered electric vehicles in the University of Lagos.
The solar-powered charging spot for electric vehicles was a project of the National Automotive Design and Development Agency (NADDC) in Nigeria.
Kenya and Uganda are two other African countries whose e-mobility projects have been demonstrated and they’ve been adopted by the global United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The UNEP has been a wonderful ally in helping African countries adopt and develop policies that would aid the smooth transition from fossil fuels-powered vehicles to electric vehicles.
Through some of the project demonstrations, they have been able to show that the e-mobility transport system is viable.
The UNEP is actively running in nine African countries namely, Kenya, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Togo, Madagascar, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Burundi, and Tanzania.
Despite the efforts being made to ensure that e-mobility becomes a reality in Africa, there is a need for training local skills, who’d help in delivering the required services.
Way Forward with E-mobility in Africa
In Africa, the e-mobility concept though accepted by all and sundry is yet to find remarkable expression.
There are predictions on the growth of e-mobility. However, we must agree that these forecasts, no matter how spectacular they sound, will drag a bit in Africa.
This is because this continent has its peculiarities which of course doesn’t make it less than other continents.
There are researches we have to make ourselves, train people in the required skills and build the required Infrastructures.
Africa countries must first deal with its challenges and then work towards collaboration with top automobile brands and one another to effectively implement e-mobility.
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