Charging Ahead: Key Drivers and Barriers to Electric Vehicle Adoption in Africa – A Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly being acknowledged worldwide for their environmental sustainability, energy efficiency, and positive impact on health. However, their adoption in Africa remains underexplored, with significant gaps in understanding the factors driving and hindering their uptake. This bibliometric analysis reviews 1,058 articles published from 2004 to 2023 in the Web of Science database, focusing on EV adoption trends in Africa. The findings show a significant increase in publications post-2014 with over 300 articles published annually, though Africa's research output lags behind global averages. Moreover, several gaps remain, particularly in geographic coverage, longitudinal analyses, consumer behavior, comparative studies, and the integration of renewable energy. Key research themes identified include charging infrastructure, policy frameworks and consumer behavior. The study underscores the essential for inclusive policies which support infrastructure progress and consumer incentives to overcome barriers such as range anxiety and high costs. In addition to the most frequently researched topics, the study examined distinguished writers, journals, and nations related to EVs adoption in Africa. Depending on only the Web of Science database may be missing some pertinent publications, which is taken as limitation of this study. By including other data bases in the future, comparative studies between African countries and other developing regions could provide valuable lessons and best practices and also explore socio-economic and cultural factors influencing EV adoption.