Atlas prepares Africa's first electric car for the international market

Many countries have companies that have set out to develop, design and build electric cars. But it had never happened that any of these companies was based in Africa. Atlas E-Mobility is one of those companies that has just announced the development of an electric car and, as a novelty, it should be noted that the country from which it operates is Morocco. It will thus become the first company based in an African country to develop a vehicle of this kind.

Its intention departs from the current trend regarding electric mobility, which seeks above all to offer models that appeal to the mass market and improve the conditions of urban mobility. Atlas E-Mobility is going to offer premium-range electric cars, with features that position them against those offered by Tesla.

That said, the brand’s philosophy aims to be different. They will use all the available technology, but thinking only about what the vehicle’s user will really need. This will allow the car to be personalised by the buyer and to avoid using elements or systems that will not be used. This will reduce the cost of the car, which will keep its Premium category, but will not include things the user will never use.

The price of the first model offered by Atlas E-Mobility will sit between 45,000 and 55,000 euros. Not a cheap price, but one that reflects an electric car that will stand against the Tesla Model Y, the BMW X1 or the Mercedes EQA. The company intends to launch it first in its country of origin and then take it to other markets, such as other African countries, Europe or the Middle East.

The charging infrastructure

One of the important points for the brand is the charging infrastructure. They are aware that without a charger network they cannot achieve a practical and efficient rollout of the electric car. They therefore plan to develop and build a network of their own chargers that will be deployed across Moroccan territory in the coming years.

Cost-saving strategy

The cost savings will be possible thanks to the low cost of labour in Morocco, estimated at 20% of what it costs in Europe, about 300 euros a month. They will also use third-party components, so they do not have to develop any of them from scratch. Their suppliers are specialised in these systems, so they will have quality components.

As for electricity, a little over half of what is generated in Morocco comes from renewable energies, so the price of energy is noticeably lower. All of this is also wrapped in the pride of being the first African company that will develop an electric car and distribute it globally.