(Kenya) Matatu - development process.

 

A matatu is classified as a minibus or van privately owned that serves as a popular form of public transportation in the city of Nairobi, Kenya's Capital. Very distinct and known for being colorful, often decorated with vibrant graffiti, and for playing loud music, creating a unique and lively atmosphere emboding a street culture unique to East Africa. Matatus are a crucial part of the Kenyan transportation system, offering a relatively affordable way to travel around cities and between towns. 

This video helps illustrate the build process and refinement of this product from bare chassis to final product.  A vehicle that embodies Africa's youthful obsession with street culture and creative expression.

Courtesy of CarTech.

(South Africa) The Lekky Noody

 

Effortless Power Meets Sustainable Innovation

Experience the future of material handling with the Lekke Noddy our innovative electric utility vehicle to transform how you work. This lightweight, powerful solution combines durability with eco-friendly performance, making heavy loads feel effortless while reducing your carbon footprint.

Built for productivity and operator comfort, the Lekke Noddy represents the perfect balance of power, sustainability, and smart design. Discover how this revolutionary electric utility vehicle can elevate your efficiency while lowering your environmental impact.

Courtesy of

https://lekkewaan.co.za/

(Kenya) EV Explorer

 

EV Explorers is a team in Kenya that has introduced the first electric vehicle to compete in the Rhino Charge, a challenging off-road competition in Kenya. This initiative aims to demonstrate the potential of electric vehicles in extreme conditions while supporting conservation efforts by the Rhino Ark Charitable Trust. The EV Explorers' participation in the Rhino Charge is a first for the event and signifies a growing interest in sustainable technologies in Kenya. 

( Tanzania) Kaypee Motors KP-A72

 

The KP A72 is an all-electric pickup truck, locally manufactured by  in Tanzania. 

It's designed to be efficient, affordable, and sustainable, targeting businesses in East Africa with its utility electric mobility solution. 

Locally Built: The KP A72 is manufactured in Tanzania, reducing import costs and promoting local industrialization.

All-Electric Powertrain: It features a durable battery system with low energy consumption.

Motor: 15Kw.

Battery: 96v 210Ah Lithium battery.

Charging: Full charge uses 10kWh, providing a 150km range at a cost of  $1.36.

Operating Cost: The KP A72 is significantly cheaper to operate (approximately 94% cheaper) than traditional mini trucks with internal combustion engines.

Payload: It's suitable for carrying fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), agricultural products, parcels, and general cargo.

Durability: The vehicle is built to withstand the rough roads and high-duty cycles common in African markets.

(Special Mention) LaunchStudio founded by Eric Stoddard.

Launch Studio is the future of Mentorship driving best practices in embracing the power of Ai as a tool to aid discovery to the next level. 

The philosophy “Design Doing” is at the heart of what Launch studio is all about.  

The founder Eric Stoddard introduces this timely and transformative approach to innovation —a mindset that emphasizes rapid execution using AI tools to move ideas from concept to reality faster than ever before. Unlike traditional design thinking, which often ends at ideation, "design doing" fuses AI technologies like ChatGPT, Midjourney, and Vizcom into the creative process, enabling professionals to prototype, visualize, and refine their concepts with unprecedented speed and precision. This philosophy is especially powerful for Africa’s growing automotive design ecosystem.

For African startups and institutions can now test bold ideas with minimal resources—exploring forms, functions, and narratives rooted in African culture without the high costs of physical modeling or global studio setups. AI becomes not a replacement for human creativity, but a catalyst that multiplies its impact.  

Integrating this framework into design education across the African continent can empower a new generation of automotive thinkers. Imagine universities and maker spaces in Lagos, Nairobi, Harare to Kampala teaching students how to blend cultural research with AI-powered assisted sketching, visualization, and storytelling. With tools now accessible via a basic internet connection, students and professionals can produce work at a standard that resonates globally while staying grounded locally.

African startups can also benefit by embedding design doing into their business development strategies. Rapid iteration shortens time to market, and AI-aided research can guide market-fit decisions grounded in both user needs and cultural insight. The result is not just vehicles that look different, but vehicles that feel African—because their design DNA is drawn from local knowledge, yet refined through world-class processes.

Ultimately, design doing isn’t just a method—it’s a mindset that gives innovators permission to act boldly, test freely, and design fearlessly. With AI as an ally, the continent can shape a distinct, globally competitive design language—and lead the way in defining what the future of mobility looks like from an African perspective.

Courtesy 

of 

Eric Stoddard 

https://launchstudio.design/

https://stoddarddesign.com/about

thhp://cardesign.academy

(Africa) Artificial Intelligence as a tool for Automotive design style?

While AI is still in its infancy when it comes to concept generation, its potential to reshape automotive design in Africa is undeniable. Rather than replacing designers, AI will demand a shift in their roles—elevating them to design managers who guide, curate, and refine AI-generated outputs. 

This evolution will allow professionals to focus more on vision, cultural context, and strategic decision-making while AI handles iterative tasks and data-driven experimentation. 

For Africa’s emerging automotive industry, this means local product development can lead to the creation of vehicle concepts deeply rooted in African identity, and storytelling appreciating the context yet embrace new ways to craft solutions. Over time, as AI tools become more sophisticated, they will serve as collaborative partners in building a design language that is proudly and unmistakably African.

To harness the full potential of AI in automotive design, African design institutions, startups, and OEMs must proactively invest in the right foundations.

 This includes upskilling designers in AI literacy, fostering multidisciplinary collaboration between technologists and creatives, and creating datasets that reflect African contexts—materials, environments, patterns, and cultural references. 

Establishing innovation hubs and partnerships with global AI research bodies can also accelerate this learning curve. By integrating AI into design education and practice early on, Africa can leapfrog traditional design bottlenecks and cultivate a new generation of creative leaders—those who can direct not just the tools, but the entire design narrative of the continent’s mobility future. 

 

 

All Images in this post are Ai generated.  

(Artificial Intelligence) The future of Automotive Design?

Speaking to US outlet ABC News, Mercedes-Benz chief design officer Gorden Wagener spoke candidly about how AI could change the car design industry, and potentially put him out of a job.

“We work with AI now. You get 99 per cent of crap with AI and sheer quantity,” Mr Wagener said. 

“That’s the biggest problem – sorting out the good stuff from the bad. But you get one per cent good stuff and we keep learning. It’s getting better every day.

“AI will drastically change the way we design. I think in 10 years maybe most of design will be done by AI and it will make designers obsolete. 

Mr Wagener jokingly added: “My successor will be a machine and will be much cheaper than my salary.”

"Our goal is, to build the most desirable cars in the world, for the brands of the Mercedes‑Benz Group."

Courtesy of 

https://www.mercedes-benz.com/

https://group.mercedes-benz.com/innovation/design/design-process.html

https://CarExpert.com.au

(RWANDA) ZEV TITANIUM

 

Welcome the Titanium

A high-performance supercar that redefines the boundaries of speed and power.

Performance:

• Top Speed 351 Km/H (218 Mph)
• Acceleration 0-100 Km/H (0-62 Mph) in just 2.9 Seconds.
• Acceleration 0-200 Km/H (0-124 Mph) in just 8.8 Seconds.
• Braking 100-0 Km/H (62-0 Mph) 31 M

This supercar is a symphony of precision engineering and unbridled power, designed to deliver an unparalleled driving experience. With its lightning-fast acceleration and incredible top-end speed, the Titanium will have you carving through corners and leaving the competition in the dust. Prepare to redefine the limits of what's possible on the open road.

The ZEV Titanium is the ultimate supercar for the true driving enthusiast. If you live for the thrill of the chase and demand the very best, this supercar will transform your daily commute into an adrenaline-fueled joyride. Get ready to experience the pure exhilaration of uncompromising performance.

Rwanda will be the first African country to have a local automotive company that will produce a supercar entirely made of Titanium and Carbon Fiber, thanks to the collaboration with the renowned Icona Design Group, the Italy-based design studio.

The development continues in spectacular fashion.

Courtesy of 

Woods Wedson Pierre

Founder of ZEV Automobile

(RWANDA) ZEV AUTOMOBILE

ZEV is a Rwandan electric automotive company, dedicated to the development, research and production of electric cars, buses and more combining designs between African and European way of life with innovative and Green technology. They are on a mission to make AFRICA Greener & Smarter than ever before.

They are excited to announce a soon to be unveiled special project, their very first Limited Edition ZEV Supercar.

This will be the first unique supercar from an African automotive company to be built entirely from titanium and carbon fiber. The ZEV Titanium Supercar was designed by Icona Design Group, the renowned Italian design studio based in Italy and operating simultaneously in over 4 countries.

The supercar will be featured on our blog in afew days to come.

Courtesy of

Wood Wedson Pierre

ZEV Automobile founder 

 

(UK/ SOUTH AFRICA) ARARKIS AUTOMOBILI - SANDSTORM

 

South African born tech entrepreneur Priven Reddy wants to rock the eco hypercar world with this new creation called the Sandstorm by Ararkis Automobili.

The newly formed car company, which is helmed by Reddy, unveiled the concept vision of its new electric hypercar at its headquarters in London afew weeks ago.

The firm wants to ensure its first automotive creation becomes a rare and exclusive status symbol and for that reason it plans to build just 20 examples of the Sandstorm, which will be available by invite only.

Courtesy of Ararkis 

https://www.ararkis.com/

https://www.iol.co.za/

(NIGERIA) CHARLIE 337 & PROJECT TOP

 

A Nigerian auto manufacturing start-up founded in 2018 by Olusen Olawore with the aim of designing and producing affordable and durable vehicles for the African market. As the first Nigerian brand to venture into the realm of sports and supercars, OMC is a true game - changer in the Nigerian automotive industry bringing a refreshing wave of customization, in-house innovation and alternative energy vehicles.

Their product concept is called Charlie 337 which is dark blue with yellow accents.

Their first prototype is in yellow and black vehicle called the Oluseun Project TOP

Courtesy of OLAWORE MOTOR COMPANY

https://omcautomobiles.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kyz8oC-CA7w

(MOROCCO) LARAKI SAHARA -SPECIAL ROYAL COMMISSION

Special mention from 2019 the Laraki Sahara hyper-car, two of which were commissioned by His Majesty Mohammed VI, King of Morocco, including one example used for public demonstration purposes. The Sahara features Moroccan design influences in the pattern of the front grille and the quilted interior upholstery, and is painted in the king’s signature color.

(LESOTHO) THABURE1 & THABURE2

Lesotho's first locally built vehicles, designed and developed by self-taught mechanic Elias Motlomelo. Its inspired by a great iconic white horse named Thabure. This project has been supported by the Lesotho military as a way to champion locally developed innovations. 

The green one is named "Tlome-Thabure 1" and the black one targeted to support law enforcement needs is called Thabure 2

Courtesy of

Tholme Auto Style

https://web.facebook.com/TlomeAutoStyle