Local Solutions. Local Impact. Local Manufacturing.
In Nairobi, a bold new vision for Africa’s mobility future was unveiled with the launch of Tad Motors SEZ LTD. Tad Motors positions itself as a catalyst for Africa’s transition toward affordable, locally built electric transport.
Building Where the Need Exists
For Tad Motors CEO Tadesse Tessema, the message is clear.
“As Africans, we can help each other come together, and we can make a difference. The only way you can solve the transport problem is by solving it locally.”
The company’s move toward local assembling and future manufacturing is strategic. Africa spends billions importing vehicles each year. Local production directly addresses affordability, supply-chain limitations, and the realities of the continent’s transport demand.
As Warren Ondanje, Managing Director of the Africa E-Mobility Alliance, notes:
“The number of companies that have been set up locally have already proven that it’s possible to start assembling locally and build towards manufacturing.”
Affordability: From Luxury to Necessity
Across the region, electric mobility is a necessity.
“We want affordable cars,” says Derege Kebede, Head of Logistics at Tad Motors. “Before it was a luxury, but now it’s compulsory, necessary.”
Importing electric four-wheelers remains expensive, widening the gap between demand and access.
“If you have to import an electric vehicle, you spend a lot of money,” explains Mercy Edna Manyasa, Sustainable Transport Engineer at UN-Habitat. “Local production is the only way to make these cars truly accessible.”
Made in Africa, for Africa
Africa already has the raw materials, the technical talent, and the market demand. Tad Motors builds on that foundation.
“We Africans are able to make the same products Americans or Chinese are making,” Tadesse emphasizes. “So why are we not making it?”
Localizing manufacturing is not just an economic win. It is a design advantage.
“If you are able to localize the industry,” says Owen Ombima from Safaricom, “you can develop solutions that directly address the needs of that specific market.”
Powering the Transition: Beyond Vehicles
Vehicles alone cannot transform mobility. Charging infrastructure must grow with them.
“This is a major investment opportunity,” Ondanje explains. “Charging infrastructure is essential to support the e-mobility transition.”
Manyasa adds:
“It’s not just about the assets. You’re bringing a vehicle that needs to be charged reliably to serve the customer. Infrastructure is part of the mobility ecosystem.”
A Game-Changer Made in Kenya
With its launch, Tad Motors signals a new era for Kenya’s industrial landscape.
“We have all the raw materials here. We’ve got the brains,” says Kebede. “Kenyans are brilliant people. We just need to give them that chance. When something is made by Africans, it becomes a game changer.”
