Volkswagen launches mobility solution in Rwanda

Volkswagen has launched its mobility solution in Rwanda in a bid to expand its reach in Africa's automotive industry. The package includes a car-sharing service, ride hailing service and a local vehicle assembly plant. The car-sharing service will mainly be aimed at companies in the capital Kigali, while the ride hailing service will follow later this year. Meanwhile, the assembly plant will be used to develop the latest Polo and Passat vehicles. Volkswagen says it intends to build up to 1,000 vehicl
July 17, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
994 Volkswagen has launched its mobility solution in Rwanda in a bid to expand its reach in Africa's automotive industry. The package includes a car-sharing service, ride hailing service and a local vehicle assembly plant.


The car-sharing service will mainly be aimed at companies in the capital Kigali, while the ride hailing service will follow later this year.

Meanwhile, the assembly plant will be used to develop the latest Polo and Passat vehicles. Volkswagen says it intends to build up to 1,000 vehicles per year depending on demand and the success of the mobility fleet, with an annual production capacity of up to 5,000 units. The German automotive manufacturer is expected to spend $20m.

Thomas Schäfer, CEO of Volkswagen South Africa, says the package is tailored to the region: “We intend to harness the opportunities for growth and create new opportunities.”

Volkswagen is already active in South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Algeria.

Urban Traffic Control

Related Content

  • Volocopter plans commercial eVTOL in Japan
    October 8, 2020
    Drone firm has also entered partnership to test air taxis in Paris
    Read More
  • Optimus Ride launches AV service at Brooklyn Navy Yard
    August 27, 2019
    Optimus Ride is operating an autonomous vehicle (AV) service at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York and expects to transport more than 16,000 passengers per month. The 300-acre industrial park has more than 400 manufacturing businesses and 10,000 employees on site. Dr. Ryan Chin, Optimus co-founder, says the system will “provide access to and experience with autonomy for thousands of people, helping to increase acceptance and confidence of this new technology”. Optimus is operating six AVs between the NY
    Read More
  • Smarter transport remains key to smart cities
    January 9, 2018
    Colin Sowman looks at some of the challenges and solutions that will provide enhanced transport efficiency in tomorrow’s smarter cities. However you define a ‘smart city’, one of the key ingredients will be an efficient transport system. As most governments and city authorities face financial constraints, incremental improvements in the existing systems is the most likely way forward. In London, new trains and signalling are improving the capacity of the Underground but that then reveals previously
    Read More
  • First all-electric car-sharing scheme in North America to launch
    April 19, 2012
    ECOtality has announced a partnership with Car2go, a subsidiary of Daimler North America Corporation, to provide electric vehicle charging infrastructure to support what is being claimed as the first 100-per cent electric car sharing programme in North America. With plans for approximately 300 Smart Fortwo electric drive vehicles, the programme in San Diego represents the largest fleet of EVs in the United States.
    Read More

Highlighted Content