The global transition toward electric mobility has crossed another major threshold, with the latest edition of the International Energy Agency’s Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2026 projecting that nearly 30% of all new cars sold worldwide this year will be electric. What once appeared to be a gradual industry shift has rapidly evolved into a full-scale transformation, driven by economic pressures, geopolitical uncertainty, and growing demand for cleaner, more stable energy alternatives.
Volatile oil prices, intensified by ongoing instability in the Middle East, are increasingly pushing consumers and governments away from fossil fuels. Electric vehicles are emerging not only as an environmental solution, but as a practical safeguard against unpredictable fuel costs that continue to ripple through global economies like cracks spreading across old asphalt.
Against this backdrop, Africa is positioning itself to become an active participant in the global electric mobility transition rather than a distant observer. At recent African Union Transport and Energy meetings, ministers from across the continent formally adopted the Johannesburg Declaration, a landmark agreement reinforcing Africa’s collective commitment to accelerate infrastructure development, expand energy access, and advance sustainable mobility.
Central to the declaration is the official endorsement of the Continental Framework on Electric Mobility in Africa, a strategy designed to align member states around the development of electric transport systems and supporting industries.
“The Johannesburg Declaration proves Africa’s leaders are aware of the importance of the electric mobility transition for Africa,” says Hiten Parmar, Executive Director of The Electric Mission. “South Africa must not only keep pace with its continental counterparts, but translate commitments into local action.”
The IEA report underscores the speed at which the global market is evolving. Despite policy shifts and changing incentives in some developed regions, electric vehicle adoption continues to accelerate across emerging economies. Outside of China, first-quarter figures for 2026 show electric vehicle sales rising by 80% in the Asia-Pacific region and 75% across Latin America, highlighting how developing markets are increasingly becoming major engines of EV growth.
Global electric vehicle sales are expected to reach 23 million units this year alone, while the worldwide EV fleet is projected to expand from 80 million vehicles today to 510 million by 2035. The transition extends beyond passenger cars, with electric truck sales doubling last year and electric two- and three-wheelers rapidly becoming the preferred mode of cleaner transport in many emerging economies.
“As battery costs continue to decline, and manufacturing becomes more cost-competitive, electric vehicles become more attractive to the market,” says Parmar. “The Johannesburg Declaration and the endorsement of the Continental Framework on Electric Mobility in Africa signals an opportunity for Africa to leapfrog into electric mobility, along with renewable energy.”
Africa’s potential role in the global EV ecosystem stretches beyond vehicle adoption. Leadership structures across the continent have increasingly highlighted Africa’s vast reserves of energy transition minerals, including lithium, cobalt, manganese, graphite and nickel, all essential components in modern battery manufacturing. These resources position African nations to develop more localised and sustainable supply chains that could support both regional industrialisation and growing global demand.
For South Africa specifically, the stakes are especially high. The country’s automotive manufacturing sector has long been one of its most strategically important industries, with export markets heavily tied to Europe and other regions rapidly moving toward stricter emissions regulations and zero-emission targets.
“There are key actions necessary for South Africa to transform its automotive industry, and capitalise on our export markets and the industrial opportunity presented by the transition to electric vehicles,” says Parmar. “The local automotive industry must transition to producing zero emission vehicles urgently in the lead up to 2035, a priority timeline for the European Union market as well as the ambitions for the South African Automotive Masterplan.”
Parmar also emphasised the importance of implementing the national Integrated Resource Plan to support additional energy generation capacity and broader technology transition efforts. At the same time, developing a local framework for fuel efficiency and vehicle emissions standards remains critical for preparing the domestic market for large-scale electrification.
The challenge facing South Africa is no longer whether the electric transition will happen, but whether the country can move quickly enough to remain competitive in an automotive landscape being rewritten in real time. Factories that once echoed with the rhythm of combustion engines are increasingly facing a future shaped by batteries, software and renewable power grids.
The African Union’s alignment under the Continental Framework on Electric Mobility signals growing continental momentum, but South Africa’s industrial capabilities, established automotive sector and strategic position as a gateway into Africa place it in a unique position to lead. The Johannesburg Declaration may ultimately become more than a policy commitment. It could mark the moment Africa stepped onto the electric highway before the rest of the world disappeared over the horizon.
