On the streets of Port Louis, new sprouts of innovation have arisen. Hong Kong-headquartered Himel is the latest global player to find new faith in the plans by Mauritius to electrify the island’s roads, launching a suite of EV charging stations this month in a bid to dominate a critical bottleneck in the nation’s green transition.

While Mauritius is world-renowned for its turquoise waters, its domestic energy goals are increasingly industrial. The government has set an ambitious target to phase out fossil-fuel vehicles by 2035. For a country where the average daily commute rarely exceeds 50km, the “range anxiety” that plagues European EV adoption is largely absent. Instead, the hurdle is infrastructure — and the race to build it is heating up.

The Big Bet: Himel x Rey & Lenferna

Last week’s rollout by Himel, a global electrical manufacturer, isn’t a solo mission. They’ve partnered with Rey & Lenferna, a local heavyweight with 85 years of market presence.

The strategy is clear: combine Himel’s mass-production capabilities with a trusted local service network. In a market the size of Mauritius, the “winner-takes-all” dynamics of infrastructure mean that being the first to saturate urban and suburban hubs with reliable hardware is everything.

Sherwin Phekun, Regional Sales Manager for Himel Anglophone Africa, framed the move as a “technological upgrade” for the nation, but for the business, it’s a strategic beachhead. Mauritius is increasingly viewed as a pilot market for e-mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa. If a charging network can be successfully scaled and integrated here, the blueprint can be exported to other island nations and growing African metros.

The Incentives: Why Now?

The Mauritian government has effectively been “greasing the wheels” for private players. Recent policy shifts have created one of the most EV-friendly tax environments in the region:

• Duty-Free Entry: As of July 2022, all hybrid and electric vehicles are duty-free.
• Infrastructure Breaks: Customs duties and VAT on EV charging equipment have been scrapped.
• Direct Rebates: Individuals can claim a 10% rebate on excise duty (up to approximately $4,500) for EV purchases.
• Corporate Perks: Businesses can leverage accelerated depreciation on EV infrastructure investments.

A Crowded Charging Map

Himel isn’t walking into an empty room. The market concentration moved from “low” to “moderate” over the last 18 months.

• The Indian Rivalry: In late 2025, Indian firm Servotech Renewable Power Systems signed an exclusive deal with local firm Enovra Energy to distribute solar-integrated EV chargers.
• The Incumbents: TotalEnergies and IBL have already begun dotting the island with fast-charging points, aiming to meet the government’s target of 30 public stations by the end of 2025.

The Reality Check: While the infrastructure is arriving, vehicle adoption is still playing catch-up. As of 2022, there were only roughly 641 EVs registered. The government expects that number to swell to 5,500 by the end of this year. Himel’s entry suggests they believe the “hockey stick” growth curve is finally about to tip.

What’s Next for the Island?

The success of Himel’s rollout will depend on more than just hardware. The next frontier is smart-grid integration. The Mauritian Central Electricity Board (CEB) is already working on a national grid code to handle the influx of EV demand. Himel’s chargers, which support the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP), are designed to play nice with these future management platforms, allowing for remote monitoring and “smart” charging during off-peak hours.

For the European and Asian tech ecosystem, Mauritius is no longer just a holiday destination; it’s a petri dish for the 100% electric future.