The municipal authorities of Kinshasa have entered into a memorandum of understanding with Vietnam’s Vingroup and local partner Exposure SARL to introduce electric vehicles into the city’s transport system. Under the agreement, vehicles will be supplied by VinFast, Vingroup’s automotive subsidiary, alongside the rollout of charging infrastructure and the establishment of maintenance and repair facilities needed to support day-to-day operations.
Phased Rollout and Market Plans
The first phase of the project, running through the first quarter of 2026, will focus on planning and structuring, including the development of technical and financial frameworks ahead of binding implementation contracts. Once concluded, the initial deployment is expected to place 500 electric buses and 1,000 electric cars into Kinshasa’s public fleet. In parallel, VinFast and Exposure are preparing a separate commercial agreement aimed at private users, targeting the distribution of between 10,000 and 20,000 electric cars and up to 100,000 electric motorbikes for the local market.
Urban Pressures and Structural Constraints
The initiative comes as Kinshasa faces persistent congestion and rising emissions, driven by rapid growth in vehicle numbers that has outpaced road development in a city of nearly 20 million people. Authorities have already responded with major infrastructure projects, including a planned bypass and the “Kinshasa Kia Mona” urban expansion, estimated to cost more than $50 billion. Despite these efforts, analysts note that high vehicle costs and the country’s limited and unreliable electricity supply are likely to influence the pace and durability of the shift toward electric mobility.
