When Chinese tech giant Transsion stormed Nigeria’s phone market with Tecno, Infinix, and Itel, few could have imagined how thoroughly it would come to dominate the continent. Its formula — affordable devices tailored to local needs, supported by robust distribution — turned it into Africa’s smartphone king. Today, Transsion controls nearly half of the continent’s smartphone market.
Now, it wants to bring that same magic to the road.
In 2023, Transsion quietly launched TankVolt, a line of electric two- and three-wheelers, in Uganda. Just two years later, the bikes are already showing up on Nigerian roads, with the company betting that it can replicate its phone success in Africa’s fast-growing e-mobility sector.
“We’re not just bringing vehicles; we’re building a full ecosystem,” says Daniel Nyakora, Transsion’s business development lead for Nigeria while speaking to Rest of World. “From financing to after-sales support, the goal is to make electric mobility accessible for the everyday African.”
The mobile phone playbook on wheels?
At the heart of Transsion’s e-mobility push is a playbook that’s already proven successful: deep distribution networks, local partnerships, and competitive pricing. It’s a strategy that allowed the company to ship 9.3 million smartphones across Africa last year, capturing approximately 50% of the market.
That same approach is now driving TankVolt’s expansion.
By leveraging its brand recognition and continent-wide logistics, the Shenzhen-based firm is disrupting the e-bike sector, but affordability remains a barrier. A gap which can be addressed through partnerships with governments, fintechs, and credit providers to spread payments and increase uptake.
Swappable batteries and a bigger bet
Transsion’s TankVolt bikes come in two variants: those with built-in batteries and others with swappable units. It’s a design choice aimed at flexibility — allowing riders to replace drained batteries quickly rather than wait hours for charging.
To support this, Transsion is leasing batteries to third-party charging stations for a monthly fee, a model already live in Tanzania and set to launch in Uganda. This “battery-as-a-service” approach helps solve one of Africa’s biggest EV hurdles: charging infrastructure.
“Mobility in Africa can’t wait for grid perfection,” says Chris Wen, head of EV projects at Transsion. “We’re building around the realities of the market.”
Still, scaling charging stations continent-wide won’t be easy. Local partnerships will be crucial, especially in Nigeria, where grid stability and regulatory red tape vary drastically from state to state.
Nigeria: The high-stakes battleground
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, is shaping up as a critical test for Transsion’s ambitions. The company is already in talks with several state governments and has landed an order for 5,000 units from Niger State. In Lagos, it’s partnered with Swap Station Mobility, Gigmile, and Max.ng, all of which provide fleet services to gig workers and delivery riders.
“We selected TankVolt based on technical capability and after-sales support,” says Obiora Okoye of Swap Station. “They’re clearly thinking long-term.”
But there are headwinds. One potential challenge is pricing. While $1,500, about 2.3 million naira, may look competitive on paper, those are wholesale prices. If middlemen add markups, retail prices could balloon — threatening the affordability edge Transsion built its empire on.
“You can’t build a mass market brand if your product becomes elite,” warns Kayode Adeyinka, CEO of Gigmile. “They must manage their value chain closely or risk pricing themselves out.”
The road ahead
Unlike many EV brands in Africa that import vehicles off-the-shelf from China, Transsion controls its manufacturing, distribution, and support. This is a vertically integrated advantage that allows it to move faster and cheaper.
Yet, even with that edge, success in electric mobility isn’t guaranteed.
“Phones and EVs are two very different products,” says Niko Kadjaia, co-founder of Tanzanian EV startup Tri. “You’re not just selling hardware — you’re building trust, infrastructure, and behavior change.”
