Bolt Launches EV Ride-Hailing in South Africa

Bolt (company), an Estonian ride-hailing giant, has officially launched an electric vehicle (EV) ride-hailing category in South Africa, starting in South Africa — Cape Town. This initiative is a strategic partnership with YugoRide, which aims to deploy 500 EVs in South Africa — Cape Town by December 2025, with expansion to South Africa — Johannesburg planned thereafter. The rollout marks Bolt (company)'s first official foray into electric mobility in South Africa, building on its existing EV operations in over 70 cities globally, including Kenya and Nigeria. The move is driven by both sustainability goals and the economic benefits of lower operational costs for drivers. YugoRide is responsible for building the necessary EV infrastructure and managing the procurement of vehicles from Chinese manufacturer Suzuki. The City of South Africa — Cape Town, through Rob Quintas, has expressed strong support for the initiative, aligning it with the city's carbon neutrality target by 2050. While the unstable power grid managed by Eskom in South Africa presents a challenge, Bolt (company) and YugoRide are focused on creating a structured fleet model to support large-scale EV adoption.