In Abidjan, Ivory Coast, the first public charging station for electric vehicles (EVs) has been installed. The new public charger is installed at the head office and used car showroom of Auto24, which is a new African used car dealer that launched in September 2022. The installation was made by a local company, EV.Tech, which specializes in EV charging and charging management.
In the Ivory Coast, the new platform called Auto24 is available for buying and selling inspected, certified secondhand cars. Africar Group, the market leader in online automotive ads in Africa, is the parent company of Auto24.
The Auto24 offers a nice package of services never before seen in the used car market in Africa. Some of the perks are included with the more than 100 used cars that Auto24 already has available, including a 6-month warranty that can be extended to a year, one-year roadside assistance, one-year insurance, one-year maintenance with Autofast by CFAO, and other services. Those are really good for a used vehicle anywhere!
Globally, the market for electric vehicles has grown rapidly over the past ten years. From 120,000 sold annually in 2012 to 120,000 sold weekly in 2021, more than 6.6 million electric vehicles were sold last year. The popularity of electric vehicles is on the rise, driven by numerous energy crises and rising oil prices, and African consumers, particularly Ivorians, are paying attention and prepared to follow the trend.
This is why Auto24, which is backed by Stellantis, is ready to enter the market for used electric cars in Ivory Coast. This is also why it installed the country’s first public electric car charging station in Treichville, an Abidjan municipality, in front of its headquarters.
With the help of the Ivorian business EV.Tech, Auto24 intends to assist in the supply of more than 5,000 charging terminals over the next several years, They believe this will help in making the purchase and use of electric vehicles affordable for local consumers.
Also, not only having one of the most environmentally friendly energy mixes on the continent, Ivory Coast has one of the most dynamic economies in Africa, growing at a rate of around 7% annually over the previous ten years. This country is also one of the best markets for electric vehicles. In fact, the import of used electric vehicles that have been refurbished and approved by Auto24 makes perfect sense because 42% of the nation’s energy production is made up of green energy, including hydraulic, biomass, and solar.
As a result, Auto24 has decided to accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles among local consumers in light of the country’s great exposure in the years to come, thanks to several infrastructure projects and major events like the African Cup of Nations in February 2024.
The first selection of used electric cars, including the Kia e-Soul, Kia e-Niro, and Hyundai Kona, and light commercial vehicles like the Hyundai Porter electric and Kia Bongo electric, will be made available by Auto24 starting in January 2023 for use by local Ivorians and businesses. The cars are sold in packages that also include the full installation of a charging station at the workplace or home. The business is also currently accepting orders for comparable high-end vehicles like the Tesla Model 3.
In addition to being displayed virtually on the company’s website, all of these vehicles will be physically displayed in the company’s showroom in Abidjan. Reservations can be made via a deposit via mobile money with Wave Mobile Money, one of the leading providers in the region.
“We are very proud with the entire Auto24 team to push Ivory Coast and Sub-Saharan Africa in the electrification of its car fleet, by installing this first public charging station in the country, and thus encourage local consumers to have an interest in the topic. Especially since Ivory Coast has one of the greenest energy mixes on the whole continent, thanks to its production of electrical energy with hydroelectric dams in particular,” says Axel Peyrière, co-founder and CEO of Africar Group and Auto24.africa.
The used EV market is often overlooked, but stands to be one of the best ways to help consumers transition to e-mobility. By offering services at used vehicle dealerships such as Auto24, customer confidence would greatly increase in making a purchasing decision.
Source: EIN News
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