Mobility on the African continent has always been a story of shifting power and influence. We trace it from the days of Mansa Musa and the Mali Empire 700 years ago through to the present. From muscle power to the internal combustion engine and the arrival of Japanese cars, through to the transport phenomenon known in Uganda as boda bodas. These motorcycles reach places four-wheeled vehicles often can't. Now they're going electric, along with cars and buses.

Here, China has the edge in manufacturing, electronics and perhaps most importantly, batteries. Spiro e-bikes are manufactured in China but assembled in Kampala. At Kiira Motors, Ugandans design and build electric buses made with Chinese parts and tech. And Chinese three-wheelers help small businesses move light cargo the last mile.