Rising penetration of EVs will also go a long way in strengthening the air quality via reduced CO2 emissions. And we have looked at how driving electric is much cheaper than driving ICE vehicles in Africa in part 1, part 2, and part 3, which is a plus for consumers shopping for used EVs in these markets. There are now over 7 million EVs on the roads worldwide, which is why we assume that this could be an opportunity for used EVs to start coming into Africa in larger volumes to displace a significant number of these used ICE vehicles. As the number of EVs on the road grows, there is now a quick need to train automotive technicians to be ready to work on all these EVs.
 

Taurayi Raymond Sewera wants to help address this gap commencing in Zimbabwe. He is setting up the International Institute of Automotive Technology Training (IIATT) with a major concentration on PHEV and BEVs. The IIATT in Harare, Zimbabwe, wants to train technicians and first responders on hybrid and electric vehicles, including 3 Master Technician Certifications, which are the Master Transit Bus Technician, Master Medium/Heavy Truck Technician, and Master Automobile Technician by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). It was during his frequent trips to the US that he started transitioning from just a Master Technician for ICE vehicles to an ASE Certified Advanced Level Specialist in hybrid and electric cars.

 

Many official dealerships in Africa are not preparing for EVs as soon as they should be to support catalyze the adoption of EVs. This leaves a big opportunity for certified independent garages and technicians to try and fill this gap. Above is a video of Taurayi working on a 2011 Nissan Leaf rebuild project in Harare Zimbabwe.