Day 1
It is always good to start the year on a high note, and for Advanced Mobility Africa it is with yet another EV training program. The Kenya Power Ruaraka workshop is the venue of our current program with over 50 participants from different parts of the country including one from Eritrea and another from Rwanda.
My Uganda and Tanzania people, why are you missing from the action now? Let me know if you will come to Nairobi for the next edition or if we should come to your capitals. Paschal Giki Samson Mosha Daniel Barham Ezra Mereng Innocent Orikiiriza Daniel Ochieng
This time we are not just disassembling two Nissan Leaf models – we are also doing some work on a JAC double cab, Boma hatchback, Mahindra XUV400 crossover & Kiri EV motorcycle.
Electric mobility continues to grow at a steady pace around the world despite a myriad of challenges, hitting 17 million vehicles in 2024 which is a 25% jump from 2023 sales numbers. In a market like Singapore, BYD surpassed Toyota and Tesla to become the leading vehicle brand.
2025 is going to be an interesting year, with the IEA estimating that EV sales will reach parity with ICEV sales some time between 2025 and 2025.
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Day 2
Comparing the battery chemistries, wiring layouts, voltage systems, charging standards & other parameters of older vs newer electric vehicles is a great way to learn the path of progress. Currently the pace of technology change in electric mobility is so fast, that sometimes breakthroughs that were new just months ago become previous technology with the next prototype
The tools alone are getting more dynamic and comprehensive, meaning that any technician or aftersale business not starting to invest in EV tools and equipment is lagging so far behind. With one top end diagnostic tool, a process that previously required great expertise can be done with little experience. This disruption will affect so many jobs and careers that are mostly not fully aware of the magnitude of the unprecedented change ahead.
The ongoing E-Mobility Technical training program by Advanced Mobility Africa in partnership with Kenya Power is one of the most diverse we have had – with participants from the national utility, transport authority, army, insurance sector, foreign consulate, tracking company, charging service, leasing company, telecom & public transport.
We have also partnered with Flone Initiative in empowering women for careers in electric mobility.
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Day 3
One important part of learning is industry visits to link theory learning and practical work with actual experience in the market. Luckily Kenya is one of the most vibrant e-mobility markets on the continent with a combination of electric 2 wheeler, 3 wheeler & 4 wheeler vehicles. From bicycles, scooters, kick scooters, motorcycles, tuktuks, passenger cars, vans, mid size trucks and buses.
The participants of the E-Mobility Technical Training program got to visit Atlas garage, BYD by Loxea Kenya, MojaEV Africa, BasiGo, Roam & Knights Energy Limited. The tour itself was done in an electric bus with smooth quiet ride and steady torque whether going uphill or downhill. I will share more about each of these businesses at a later date.
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Day 4
Partnerships play a key role in enabling any venture that is set to go far. There is a saying that if you want to go fast, go alone. But if you want to go far, go together. Advanced Mobility Africa has had the pleasure to work with many organizations to achieve various mutual goals.
The Hydromatics Limited team led by Harriet Lavenda attended one of the practical sessions to share more information about specialized tools and equipment for e-mobility work. Hydromatics are a leading supplier of various hydraulic, pneumatic, electric & electronic parts and accessories. They distribute all types of leading test and measurement equipment brands from around the world. Their head office in Nairobi’s industrial area has a showroom, specialized engineering workshop & training facility.
The first cohort of the E-Mobility Technical program finished their course work and got their Certificates of Completion. It is always a happy sad moment to see the participants complete the program as completely changed people ready to make an impact, but the end of the camaraderie leaves a dull heart. Now over 220 people have been training in this specialized technical program like no other.
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Msingo John Arthur Komu
Day 5
Electric mobility is changing vehicle maintenance from a mainly mechanical job to more of an electrical job. A career that mainly had people with technical & mechanical backgrounds, is now having people with electrical, electronic & mechatronic backgrounds. The type of tools and equipment needed to diagnose and fix electric vehicles is also vastly different. From safety gear to precision tools to multimeters to insulated tools to diagnostic equipment that run into hundreds & thousands of dollars.
Technicians, fleet owners, workshop operators, aftersale support businesses, insurance valuers, transport authorities etc will all need to invest not just in capacity building but also tooling & equipment. Working on electric vehicle assembly, battery chemistries, wiring layouts, high voltage systems, regular maintenance & accident repair will totally change what aftersale support for mobility currently looks like.
The participants of the E-Mobility Technical Training program by Advanced Mobility Africa now have a clear understanding of the career paths, curriculum needs & technical resources required to support the successful adoption of electric vehicles. The East African region is probably going to get a Master EV Technician in a decade, we really hope so.
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hashtag#HereWeGoElectric hashtag#AfricaRising
Day 6
The E-Mobility Technical Training program came to a climax with completion of reassembly of a battery pack & power delivery module, followed by successful test drive of the electric vehicles. There was also onboard diagnosis of several other electric vehicles, some successfully while others had connection or error code issues. Many EV OEMs have not allowed direct connection by third party diagnostic or tracking devices to the electronic control unit or module. More on this later.
As this cohort was graduating from the program, we have now reached the milestone of over 220 people trained so far in Kenya. The feedback from the participants has been amazing, with 22% saying it met their expectation, 33% saying it exceeded their expectations & 44% describing it as a wow experience. There are already enquiries about when the next training program will be taking place.
As you can imagine, the Advanced Mobility Africa team was looking forward to a well deserved break after such a busy period. Many thanks to all our incredible partners Kenya Power, Hydromatics Limited, EVChaja, BYD by Loxea Kenya, MojaEV Africa, BasiGo, Roam & Knights Energy Limited for making the whole learning experience wonderfully rich in promotion of electric mobility.
We are also keen to spread out to other counties & countries in the region. Stay tuned for more updates, including one regional e-mobility trip this year that will be epic.
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TAURAYI RAYMOND SEWERA Arthur Komu Msingo John Michael Ochiel Branice Mayienga Dennis Wakaba Remeredzai Joseph Kuhudzai Harriet Lavenda