释放非洲电动汽车的潜力

A framework to harmonize regional policies across the continentto scale the electric mobility market Authors: RMIMonkgogi BuzwaniKelly CarlinSamhita Shiledar UNEPAnnika Berlin Authors are listed alphabetically October 2025 About RMI: Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, nonpartisan nonprofit founded in 1982 thattransforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to secure aprosperous,resilient, clean energy future for all. In collaboration with businesses, policymakers, funders,communities, and other partners, RMI drives investment to scale clean energy solutions, reduceenergy waste, and boost access to affordable clean energy in ways that enhance security,strengthen the economy, and improve people’s livelihoods. RMI is active in over 50 countries. About UNEP: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global authority on theenvironment, working with governments, civil society, and the private sector to addresspressing ecological challenges and advance sustainable development. Within UNEP,theSustainable Mobility Unit plays a pivotal role in helping countries transition toward cleaner,more efficient, safer and inclusive transport systems. The unit supports national and citygovernments across Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Europe by promotingpolicies and regulatory frameworks that accelerate the shift to sustainable mobility. Its workspans the promotion of electric mobility, cleaner fuels and vehicle standards, improved publictransport, and infrastructure for active mobility such as walking and cycling. By integratingthese approaches, the unit contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving airquality, and aligning transport systems with the goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030Agenda for Sustainable Development. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION.........................................................................1THE CURRENT STATE AND OPPORTUNITY FOR POLICYHARMONIZATION......................................................................2ECOWAS............................................................................................................3EAC....................................................................................................................4SADC..................................................................................................................4AfCFTA and corridors........................................................................................5 PRIORITY AREAS FOR HARMONIZATION......................................5Pillar 1: Region-wide ICE vehicle phaseout targets...........................................6 Pillar 2: Standards and interoperability............................................................6Pillar 3: Customs and corridor transit...............................................................7Pillar 4: Demand aggregation and public procurement....................................8Pillar 5: Battery circularity and second use.......................................................9 CROSS-CUTTING ENABLERS......................................................10BENEFITS OF POLICY HARMONIZATION.....................................11THE PATH FORWARD...............................................................13ENDNOTES..............................................................................14 Introduction Africa’stransportation ecosystem is at a pivotal moment. Rapid urbanization is increasingdemand for passenger and freight mobility, while cross-border trade and corridor trafficcontinue to grow. In this context, electric mobility is no longer a distant aspiration but an urgentnecessity—essential to achieving climate commitments, improving air quality, reducing fuel-price exposure, and catalyzing new industries in assembly, charging, software, and batteries. Across the continent, early efforts to boost EV adoption are underway: e-bus pilots inLagos andNairobi,1anelectric bus rapid transit program in Dakar,2aninternal combustion engine(ICE)vehicle ban in Ethiopia, growth of domestic EVoriginal equipment manufacturers(OEMs)inEast Africa (Roam,Ampersand, Zembo, and many others) and West Africa (Max, Spiro, andothers in Benin, Togo and Nigeria),3 andthepolicy announcementofSouth Africa’sElectricVehiclesWhitePaper.4Yet despite these promising pilots, Africa’s EV landscape is fragmented.The barrier is not technology, but policy fragmentation that forces every investor to relearn therules, tariffs, approvals, plugs, and payments at every border. UnlockingAfrica’s EV potential requires a shift from national silos to regional integration.Regional policy harmonization is the critical enabler. The African Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFTA) provides the continental backbone and Regional Economic Communities(RECs) suchas the East African Community (EAC), the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) o