Popular e-hailing platform Bolt has announced that it is launching a new electric vehicle (EV) ride category in South Africa.
Image: File
Popular e-hailing platform Bolt has announced that it is launching a new electric vehicle (EV) ride category in South Africa.
The company said the rollout will start in Cape Town through a fleet partnership with YugoRide, with plans to expand to Johannesburg next. Bolt aims to have 500 electric vehicles on its platform by December 2026.
It also revealed that the move is part of its wider plan to expand electric mobility across African cities, while also improving driver earnings through lower fuel and maintenance costs associated with electric vehicles.
The company said it believes EVs can help make urban transport more sustainable and cost-efficient over time.
“South Africa is one of Bolt’s most important markets globally, and the launch of our EV category reflects our long-term confidence in the country’s mobility future. We believe electric mobility presents an important opportunity not only from a sustainability perspective, but also from an economic one." Caroline Wanjihia, Regional Director, Rides Africa & International Markets at Bolt, said
"By lowering operational costs and improving efficiency, EVs have the potential to create more sustainable earning opportunities for drivers while contributing to cleaner urban transport systems.”
She added that the company is already rolling out electric mobility initiatives in other African markets, including Kenya and Nigeria.
“We are not simply talking about electric mobility in Africa; we are actively building it. Following our EV initiatives in Kenya and Nigeria, South Africa represents an important next chapter in Bolt’s broader African EV strategy. We believe Africa has the opportunity to become a leader in innovative and sustainable urban mobility solutions.”
William Huang, Co-Founder of YugoRide, said the partnership with Bolt is aimed at more than just supplying vehicles.
“We recognised that if South Africa’s transition to electric mobility was going to succeed, it required more than just vehicles, it required infrastructure, operational support, and the right strategic partners. Together with Bolt, we are helping build that ecosystem from the ground up.”
mthobisi.nozulela@iol.co.za
IOL Business