1. Skip to content
  2. Skip to main menu
  3. Skip to more DW sites
Cars and TransportationAfrica

Fed up with rising fuel costs cartoonist builds own EV truck

02:11

This browser does not support the video element.

March 19, 2026

Masoud Kipanya has built Tanzania's first electric truck. It costs far less than imports and runs up to 150 kilometers, but the country still lacks public chargers and faces daily power cuts.

Tanzania’s first hand‑built, domestically designed electric vehicle is turning heads. Political cartoonist Masoud Kipanya spent 11 months engineering a compact electric pickup aimed at low‑income traders who need affordable urban transport. Most parts are locally sourced, and running costs are a fraction of petrol prices.

With a range of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) and growing demand — including interest from regional leaders — Kipanya hopes his EVs will make clean mobility accessible to all, even as Tanzania still lacks a public charging network.

Lukas Lottersberger Multimedia journalist, reporter and producer, covering global news and environmental innovations.
Skip next section Explore more
Skip next section DW's Top Story

DW's Top Story

Skip next section More stories from DW

More stories from DW