MANA Mobility is a Ghanaian electric mobility social enterprise on a mission to deliver sustainable, inclusive and accessible mobility in Africa.
MANA is creating an ecosystem for e-mobility solutions in Africa with our operations in Ghana. There are two arms to our social enterprise. Firstly we locally design and manufacture affordable 2,3 and 4 wheelers, that have been specifically tailor-made for Africa. Secondly and central to our solution is an open source, full stack tech platform, which acts as one stop shop gateway, connecting not only our EVs but any EVs across the continent, to services across verticals; including access to income generating opportunities through pre-established logistics contracts with eCommerce companies, work to own payment plans, vehicle analytics and tracking, EV education and tailored insurance protecting both the vehicle and rider.
Through this we are changing the way Africa moves; reducing C02, supporting healthy and liveable cities and stimulating equitable socio-economic growth by creating jobs, especially for young people and women. We contribute to 12 of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and by 2028 will have created 100k green jobs, saved 1.1m tons in C02 and repurposed 3800 tons of plastic waste in our vehicles.
Founding Team
MANA Mobility was born out of a joining forces between Cargo Bikes Africa and MANA Mobility Germany.
The combined entity fuses local and global expertise with a founding team of Ghanaian and German changemakers with experience ranging across automotive, social entrepreneurship, manufacturing and global supply chain management and digital ecosystem development.
(MANA Mobility Team Photo, Accra, Ghana)
Vision
Our ambition with the MANA bike was to create an electric bike (eBike) specifically designed to meet the unique needs of the African context. To bring this vision to fruition, we employed a human-centered design framework, engaging in a series of design sprint workshops and testing different prototype iterations in Ghana. These workshops meticulously considered local needs and demands, involving conversations with over 1000 individuals spanning all regions of Ghana. By designing with their unique requirements in mind and considering the challenges posed by local road conditions, we ensured the bike's suitability for the region. Furthermore, gender inclusivity principles were factored in our design process, addressing the typical lack of female-oriented electric vehicles. Additionally, a circular economy approach was adopted, embracing sustainable practices where feasible throughout the design journey.
This comprehensive approach allowed us to create an electric bike solution that not only addresses the contextual challenges and aspirations of the African market but also promotes gender inclusivity and sustainable design principles.
While challenges may arise, we are confident in our capacity to overcome them through collaboration and innovation. With this foundation, we eagerly anticipate the implementation phase, where we will turn our vision into tangible actions and measurable results, enabling women to flourish as micro couriers and catalysts for change.
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