Fed up with rising fuel costs cartoonist builds own EV truck

Tanzania’s first hand‑built, domestically designed electric vehicle is turning heads. Political cartoonist Masoud Kipanya spent 11 months engineering a compact electric pickup aimed at low‑income traders who need affordable urban transport. Most parts are locally sourced, and running costs are a fraction of petrol prices.

With a range of up to 160 kilometers (100 miles) and growing demand — including interest from regional leaders — Kipanya hopes his EVs will make clean mobility accessible to all, even as Tanzania still lacks a public charging network.