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 through to the present. From muscle power to the internal combustion engine, through to the transport phenomenon known in Uganda as boda bodas. Now these motorcycles are going electric, along with cars and buses. Here, China has the edge in manufacturing, electronics and 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. Plus: How autonomous tractors are giving Indian farmers a hand, and why Austria is going full steam ahead with night trains.