A Chinese vehicle is on display at the Francistown Motor Show in Francistown, Botswana, March 13, 2026. (Photo by Shingirai Madondo/Xinhua)

GABORONE, March 15 (Xinhua) -- In the eyes of Muyapo Lesetedi, a sales executive at Motor Holdings Francistown in Botswana, Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining traction across the southern African country, with fantastic and encouraging customers' feedback.

"The moment an EV arrives at our showroom, it is taken by the first customer," Lesetedi told Xinhua on Saturday at the two-day Francistown Motor Show, which opened in Botswana's second largest city on Friday, explaining how the consumers are embracing or receiving the EVs in the local market.

He made a detailed introduction to the plug-in hybrid Chinese vehicles of different models, noting that the dealer company received no complaints from its customers as they have been enjoying the Chinese models.

Botswana's growing environmental awareness is possibly driving a steady gain in traction of EVs across the country, said Lesetedi, without giving sales statistics of the company.

On Friday, Mayor of Francistown Gaone Majere was enchanted by the Chinese EVs offering a lot of advantages ranging from cost to the environmental perspective.

Majere said the cost of energy, or cost of electric refuelling, is much cheaper, while the range is longer, adding that the maintenance expense for EVs is lower compared to that of vehicles with internal combustion engines.

As for traditional Chinese models, Brando Keabilwe, a salesperson at Molapo Motors, a franchise dealer and service center for the Chinese Chery vehicles, told Xinhua that Chinese motor brands are gaining momentum in Botswana.

Botswana is among a host of African countries accelerating the transition from fossil fuel dependence to zero-emission mobility, and unveiled its first locally assembled EVs in 2024, in partnership with two Chinese vehicle manufacturing companies Skywell and CHTC Kinwin.

In Botswana's market dominated by internal combustion engines, the Chinese automobile manufacturers, including Great Wall Motor (GWM), Chery Automobile Co. Limited, and Anhui Jianghuai Automobile Co., Limited, are laying the groundwork of the cost effective and eco-friendly transition. ■

Mayor of Francistown Gaone Majere tries a Chinese vehicle at the Francistown Motor Show in Francistown, Botswana, March 13, 2026. (Photo by Shingirai Madondo/Xinhua)