EVs and Electric Buses Are Taking Over—And New Battery Tech Is Making It Cheaper
Electric vehicles are no longer a niche experiment. From Norway to Nairobi, battery-powered transport is becoming the norm, and new battery chemistries are set to make it even more affordable.
In 2024, Norway became the first country where electric cars outnumbered petrol cars [228366]. Meanwhile, electric buses are now common in African cities like Nairobi, Dakar, and Addis Ababa, where companies like Kenya’s Basi-Go are selling buses designed for local conditions [225702]. These buses are cheaper to run than diesel models and require less maintenance, making them a smart choice for operators [225702].
The shift is not just about cars and buses. Indonesia has launched the "Molinas," a locally designed and produced electric motorcycle, as part of a push to build its own EV industry and reduce reliance on imported fuel [224318]. The government is offering buyer incentives and building charging infrastructure, though prices remain higher than petrol models and charging stations are limited outside major cities [224318].
Battery technology is also evolving. While lithium has dominated the EV market, new options are emerging. Sodium-ion batteries use salt-based materials, making them cheaper and less dependent on scarce resources, though they store less power per kilogram [227829]. Lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries, already in production, use abundant iron and phosphate, last longer, and are safer under high temperatures [227829]. Automakers are now selecting battery chemistry based on use: high-performance vehicles may keep premium lithium cells, while budget models adopt sodium or LFP [227829]. This shift promises a more resilient supply chain and lower prices as production scales [227829].
Driverless trucks are also advancing. Kodiak AI has logged more than 40,000 paid hours of autonomous driving through the second quarter of this year and aims to launch driverless highway operations by the end of 2026 [227348]. The company focuses on highway driving, which it sees as a simpler starting point for full autonomy [227348].
From Norway’s electric car dominance to Africa’s bus revolution and Indonesia’s homegrown motorcycles, the transition to electric transport is accelerating—and new battery tech is making it cheaper and more adaptable than ever.