DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- Tanzania's transition toward green mobility has gained fresh momentum with the arrival of the country's first electric dual-cab pickup trucks, powered by Chinese technology and supply partnerships.
Jenga Taifa Pamoja Auto Limited (JTP Auto), a Tanzanian electric mobility company, has worked with leading Chinese original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to introduce affordable electric vehicles (EVs) tailored to local conditions.
Amar Shangavi, founder and chief executive officer of JTP Auto, said the company deliberately chose to partner with Chinese manufacturers because of their global leadership in electric mobility.
"China is leading in electric vehicle technology," Shangavi told Xinhua in a recent interview. "Working with OEMs there allows us to customize vehicles to suit Tanzanian conditions while benefiting from proven, large-scale manufacturing."
While the supply chain is anchored in China, Shangavi said that JTP Auto is majority Tanzanian-owned and focused on building local capacity. The company plans to establish full EV assembly operations in Tanzania within two years, in partnership with the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology to tap into engineering expertise and accelerate technology transfer.
"Our focus is to build capabilities here at home," he said. "We want to transfer skills, develop local expertise, and ensure Tanzanians are at the center of this transition."
JTP Auto introduced electric dual-cab pickups as it targets commercial customers who are more likely to adopt new technologies when there are clear financial benefits.
The cost advantage is significant. According to company data, operating an EV in Tanzania is about 86 percent cheaper per kilometer than running a petrol-powered vehicle. While a conventional car may travel about 10 to 15 kilometers per liter of fuel, electricity costs translate to roughly 25 Tanzanian shillings (about 0.01 U.S. dollar) per kilometer for an EV, compared with around 200 shillings per kilometer for petrol.
"These vehicles are designed for real Tanzanian conditions, commercial use, fleet operations and daily reliability, while delivering dramatic cost savings," Shangavi said.
The initial partner in this transition is Smiles Rent-A-Car Services Limited. Kassim Mbilinga, operations manager at Smiles Rent-A-Car Services Limited, based in the port city of Dar es Salaam, said his exposure to EVs abroad convinced him of their potential.
The company has already installed charging equipment at its offices to support the new electric fleet, anticipating broader adoption as infrastructure expands.
To address concerns about driving range and charging availability, JTP Auto is developing high-speed charging stations, starting in Dar es Salaam. The company is in the final stages of confirming the installation of two 120-kilowatt public charging stations in the commercial capital.
Over the next two years, JTP Auto plans to expand the network to key transport corridors, including Chalinze, Bagamoyo, Tanga, Arusha, Dodoma and Iringa, enabling cross-country electric travel.
The Tanzanian government has signaled support for local manufacturing and clean energy investment. EVs align with the country's broader economic priorities. By reducing fuel imports, Tanzania can ease foreign exchange pressures and retain more capital within the domestic economy, while increased electricity consumption supports national utilities and infrastructure development.
The shift toward electric mobility is expected to reduce urban air pollution and contribute to Tanzania's climate goals. It also positions the country within a broader continental trend, as African economies increasingly explore EV adoption.
Mbilinga believes the transition is inevitable. "The whole world is moving toward electric vehicles," he said. "We should not see electric cars as something strange; they are simply the next step."
