MANA
Mobility Ltd, a manufacturer of e-cars in Ghana, merged with Cargo Bikes Africa
Ltd, an e-mobility start-up in the e-bikes, to create a new entity valued at
$20 million.
The
outcome of the merger, MANA Mobility, was unveiled in Accra by a
German-Ghanaian enterprise focused at creating an ecosystem for e-mobility
solutions in Africa. A press statement that announced the merger said Valerie
Labi would be the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of the new entity.
Ms
Labi is a former co-founder of Cargo Bikes Africa.
Products
The
statement said the new company would operate mainly from Ghana but provide
services to other African countries.
It
said the product portfolio would comprise an open e-mobility platform that connected
drivers, passengers and goods in an easily accessible, inclusive, transparent,
countrywide and multimodal manner.
It said MANA Mobility was a specialist
in the development of electric vehicles, which were affordable, safe, reliable,
functional, as well as Ghanaian-designed, engineered and manufactured.
It
said Cargo Bikes Africa, on the other hand, was an e-mobility start-up that was
innovating mobility processes, boasting partnerships with pan-African
e-commerce platforms and supporting to make delivery services more sustainable
through the design of local production and subscription of ebikes and e-trikes.
Essence
The
statement said both entities were tackling major problems of the transport
sector in African cities such as congestion, pollution and unemployment.
Following from the merger, the
statement said the deal would combine Cargo Bikes Africa's expertise in electric
bike design, production and distribution models with MANA Mobility's experience
in manufacturing and global supply chain management and application (App)
development.
“The
combined entity will be able to produce electric vehicles that meet the needs
of African roads and customers,” it said.
Delight
The
Chief Executive Officer of MANA Mobility Germany, Peter Schwarzenbauer, said
his outfit was thrilled to be partnering Cargo Bikes Africa.
Mr
Schwarzenbauer described the company as one that shared the vision of MANA
Mobility in creating a world where everyone could access affordable and clean
energy transportation solutions that removed barriers to opportunity and
enhanced mobility in emerging markets.
“This
deal will enable us to make this vision a reality sooner than previously
thought, the CEO, a former Board Member of BMW AG, said.
He
expressed the hope that the CEO of MANA Mobility would lead to realise its
vision of establishing local manufacturing operations for the local production
of two, three and four-wheeler e-vehicles (eVs) as well as grow and develop an
open-source technology platform that provides an ecosystem of EV services, and
create a community of e-drivers and e-riders.
Source: Graphic Online