Nissan Motor, the Japanese automaker, is planning to introduce its e-power hybrid technology car in Tunisia, as part of its strategy to assess the demand for electric vehicles in the African market. According to Nissan, Africa is the last frontier for the automotive industry, with low vehicle ownership levels. The global motorization average is 182 vehicles per 1,000 people, while in Africa, it is only 42 per 1,000 people. However, the cost of electric vehicles is currently beyond the reach of most domestic consumers, and some African countries, including South Africa, are facing challenges such as power outages and logjams at ports and railways, making it difficult for global executives to invest in EVs in Africa.
To address these challenges, Nissan plans to introduce its e-Power technology system, which includes a petrol engine with a power generator, inverter, battery, and an electric motor. The electric motor delivers power directly to the wheels, using energy stored in the battery pack. The company has already launched this technology in Morocco with the Qashqai and in Egypt with the X-Trail and will introduce it in Tunisia with the Qashqai.
Sherief Eldesouky, Nissan Africa Managing Director, said that while electrification might take some time in Africa, the company has a plan to introduce it, especially with the e-Power technology, in some of the African markets that are ready for this technology. Nissan has been leveraging its technology because Africa is not ready in terms of infrastructure availability of electricity.
South Africa has made some progress in supporting the transition to EVs by publishing an electric vehicle policy roadmap last year, which includes government incentives. Nissan, which wholly owns manufacturing plants in Egypt and South Africa, has been present in Africa for more than 60 years. This year, the automaker will export the South African-built Navara pickup trucks to new markets such as Algeria, Libya, Sudan, Tunisia, and Egypt. The company is also planning to introduce new grades like the mid-grade automatic transmission vehicle in Sub-Saharan Africa and an entry-level double cab in South Africa.
