ZIMBABWE – Electric vehicle firm, Agilitee Africa, which recently acquired a Zimbabwean electric vehicle dealership, is  spreading its wings  in the Southern African region after selling a dealership licence to a Swaziland private company.

Agilitee sold its licence to Clivegreen Private Limited, a green energy Swazi-based company to distribute electric vehicles in that southern African nation.

Clivegreen CEO Bonani Mtetwa told Newsday newspaper that  the deal was necessitated by the need to join the global bandwagon of embracing  green energy  as the use of  electric cars would go a long way in reducing the  fuel import bill and greenhouse emissions that damage the environment.

“May I encourage countries to quickly adapt and adopt this positive change. These EVs being one of them.  Climate change impacts on everyone. This includes both developed and less developed countries. The green economy movement is here to stay, in an effort to improve our atmosphere and climate change conditions,” Mtetwa said.

“Let’s embrace the change and the challenge knowing the greater good that lies ahead. We need to take care of the planet for the sake of our kids. Some of us have lived the better part of our lives, what legacy will leave for our kids in terms of the planet,” Mtetwa added.

He highlighted that notwithstanding the costs, the company  bought the license to position itself in the market.

“Agilitee is one of a kind company that dared to change where and when others are at ‘comfort zone’ in a changing environment or are taking infant steps. Agilitee recognised an opportunity for Africans and the rest of the world before others did. We, as a company, identified with that vision. Of course when you are the first, you also bear the bigger costs, such as infrastructure costs for the charging/battery swapping stations. But the benefits are great because as the ‘first’, you get to position yourself well in the market. By the time others ‘wake up to the  need for change  you are already well established. They will definitely come to you for the solution, in this case, the EVs,” Mtetwa said .

“In May 2021, acquired 90% shareholding in the Zimbabwean EVs dealership, Zimtorque in a cash-and-share swap deal”

Mandla Lamba, Agilitee CEO said the adoption of Agilitee electric vehicles will ride on the use of green tech that includes solar thus bypassing the power shortages that have become a perennial challenge in the region.

“The business model does not require  a lot and  does not need electricity 111 to charge it, you can charge using solar, we have solar power which is a green tech,” he said.

This development comes after Agilitee Africa, in May 2021, acquired 90% shareholding in the Zimbabwean EVs dealership, Zimtorque in a cash-and-share swap deal.

Zimtorque boss Tanaka Kutama has moved to join Agilitee’s parent company, Lamba Automotive, as chief operating officer.

The  transaction resulted in a name change with Zimtorque being renamed Agilitee Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd  and the company is set to officially unveil  mobility dealerships in Harare and Bulawayo in July 2021 followed by a manufacturing plant creating 700 jobs in Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has also become a major attraction following an influx of lithium battery miners recently, where over US$300 million has been earmarked for sinking shafts to extract the lucrative mineral and ship it abroad.

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