Spiro partners with Yadea to expand electric mobility across Africa

African electric mobility company Spiro has partnered with Chinese electric two-wheeler manufacturer Yadea to expand access to affordable and sustainable transport across the continent.

The partnership will combine Yadea’s manufacturing capacity and research capabilities with Spiro’s battery-swapping network and operations across seven African countries.

The two companies said the agreement will support the development of a scalable electric vehicle ecosystem targeting commercial fleet operators, delivery companies, logistics providers and daily commuters.

Under the deal, Yadea will supply electric motorcycles and related products for Spiro’s growing African markets, while Spiro will integrate the vehicles into its battery-swapping and energy infrastructure.

The companies will also develop electric two-wheelers designed for African road conditions and commercial transport needs.

Spiro founder and Equitane chairman Gagan Gupta said the partnership would strengthen efforts to support Africa’s transition to cleaner transport.

“When we launched Spiro, our mission was to lay the energy and mobility foundation for Africa’s green transition. Our strategic partnership with Yadea is a major endorsement of our execution to date and opens fantastic opportunities to jointly pioneer the next era of electric mobility in emerging markets,” Gupta said.

Spiro chief executive officer Anant Badjatia said demand for electric mobility in Africa is growing and the partnership would help the company expand faster.

“Africa’s shift to electric mobility is accelerating and this partnership helps us meet that demand at scale. By bringing together Yadea’s manufacturing strength with Spiro’s electric mobility ecosystem and operating experience across Africa, we are compressing the timeline to clean transport,” Badjatia said.

Yadea senior vice-president Wang Jiazhong said Africa presents a major opportunity for zero-emission transport solutions.

“Our mission to reduce carbon emissions has reached a powerful milestone through this partnership with Spiro. Together, we are combining global innovation with local infrastructure to deliver scalable and sustainable mobility solutions that serve millions of riders and transform Africa’s urban transit,” Wang said.

Founded in China, Yadea is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of electric two-wheelers, with more than 100 million vehicles sold across more than 100 countries.

The company has more than 2,000 patents in electric vehicle technology and operates production facilities in several countries.

Spiro has been expanding its electric mobility network across Africa through electric motorcycles and battery-swapping stations that allow riders to replace depleted batteries with fully charged ones within minutes.

The partnership comes as Spiro enters its next phase of growth after raising $270 million in its latest funding round, which included investment from NewTrails Capital, a Chinese fund.

The company said the collaboration with Yadea would help accelerate the adoption of electric transport while reducing emissions and improving mobility options across African cities.