05 Sep 2024

Botswana’s desire to become a hub for manufacturing of electric vehicles and related components is taking shape as two Chinese companies are destined to setup manufacturing plants in the country. 

The nascent automobile industry in Botswana has potential to attract investors particularly in the assembly and manufacturing of components for both conventional and electric vehicles. 

In a meeting with the potential investors on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, expressed delight over the progress made in attracting investors to Botswana. 

He said attracting e-mobility investors to Botswana was a step in the right direction towards developing the local electro mobility industry in the drive to contribute towards reducing greenhouse emissions. 

“We do not want to be just a consuming customer, we want to create what we consume and have the capacity and skills to develop our own technology,” President Masisi said. 

Further, the Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, National e-mobility Coordinator, Dr Ecco Maje, said Botswana was ready to produce quality e-mobility products. 

He said there was diligence in identifying the two companies, which are renowned for manufacturing world-class electric vehicles. Dr Maje indicated that an agreement had been reached with the companies to share the Intellectual Property (IP) rights. “The initial IP is definitely theirs but any new innovation we do together will have a joint IP and they are ready to share it with us,” he said. 

Dr Maje stated that local companies would be engaged in the manufacturing of other components required in the production line thus creating employment for Batswana. 

He noted that there was currently a semi knock down electric bus in Gaborone with two more expected soon together with 10 Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs), adding that plans were in place to build a complete knock down plant. 

“We will in the near future establish a complete knock down plant whereby each and every car component will be manufactured in Botswana,” he said. 

Noting the skill transfer expected when production resumed, he said there were already trained local personnel in the e-mobility technology manufacturing space as well as in the retro fitting unit. ENDS