Bolt, the leading mobility platform in Africa, has officially launched its Electric Vehicle (EV) category in South Africa, marking a major milestone in the company’s broader strategy to accelerate sustainable urban mobility across the continent.
The category launched in Cape Town through a strategic fleet partnership with YugoRide, with Bolt planning to scale the category to 500 electric vehicles by December 2026. Following the Cape Town launch, Bolt also plans to expand the EV category to Johannesburg as part of its broader South African rollout strategy.
The launch builds on Bolt’s growing global and African EV footprint. The company currently operates electric ride categories in more than 70 cities worldwide and has already introduced electric mobility initiatives in Kenya and Nigeria as part of its expanding African EV strategy.
The South African expansion follows Bolt’s recent milestone of 10 years of operations in the country and its announcement of a R3 billion economic contribution milestone, reflecting the platform’s continued growth and role in supporting economic participation through mobility.
The fleet partnership with YugoRide aims to help strengthen the ecosystem required for scalable EV adoption in South Africa while improving driver economics through lower operational and maintenance costs associated with electric vehicles.
Caroline Wanjihia, Regional Director, Rides Africa & International Markets at Bolt, said: “South Africa is one of Bolt’s most important markets globally, and the launch of our EV category reflects our long-term confidence in the country’s mobility future. We believe electric mobility presents an important opportunity not only from a sustainability perspective, but also from an economic one. By lowering operational costs and improving efficiency, EVs have the potential to create more sustainable earning opportunities for drivers while contributing to cleaner urban transport systems.”
She added: “We are not simply talking about electric mobility in Africa, we are actively building it. Following our EV initiatives in Kenya and Nigeria, South Africa represents an important next chapter in Bolt’s broader African EV strategy. We believe Africa has the opportunity to become a leader in innovative and sustainable urban mobility solutions.”
Cllr Roberto Quintas, Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility at the City of Cape Town, said: “Bolt’s electric vehicle launch is exactly the kind of private-sector leadership Cape Town welcomes and needs. What impressed me most is that this is not simply about changing fuel sources. Bolt has demonstrated a holistic commitment to improving mobility, from driver wellbeing and safety features to the sustainability of its fleet.”
Quintas added: “That combination of commercial ambition and genuine responsibility is precisely what we want to see from mobility partners operating in our city. Every electric Bolt vehicle on Cape Town’s roads contributes directly to our goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and demonstrates that the transition to cleaner mobility is already underway. Cape Town is proud to share the road.”
William Huang, Co-Founder of YugoRide, said: “We recognised that if South Africa’s transition to electric mobility was going to succeed, it required more than just vehicles, it required infrastructure, operational support, and the right strategic partners. Together with Bolt, we are helping build that ecosystem from the ground up.”
The YugoRide fleet partnership introduces a structured fleet model focused on operational quality, driver support, and safe, high-quality ride-hailing experiences.
Through strategic partnerships and continued investment in sustainable mobility, Bolt aims to help accelerate the transition toward cleaner, more accessible, and economically sustainable urban transport in South Africa.
