Has Burkina Faso Built An Electric Car Better Than Elon Musk’s Tesla?
On April 23, 2026 an X user @Zoomafrika1 claimed that Burkina Faso has built an electric car that is better than Elon Musk’s Tesla.
The X user stated that the car was built entirely from scratch, can travel 330 kilometres on a 30-minute charge and it is better than Elon Musk’s Tesla. The post had an image of Burkina Faso Military Leader Ibrahim Traoré and a car, with the caption “Electric Car made in Burkina from Scratch can run up to 330KM after 30 minutes charge. They’re better than Elon Musk’s Tesla 🙌🏿🔥”
When this report was published, this claim had about 52,500 views and over 5,450 replies, reposts, quotes, likes, and bookmarks.
VERIFICATION
In January 2025, Burkina Faso debuted its first 100% indigenous EV, the ITAOUA. According to a news report, the car can go 330 kilometres after only 30 minutes of charging. The production plant is located in Ouaga 2000 and the car features models such as the “Native” and the “Sahel,” with integrated technologies including GPS navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, and solar charging.
Although the electric vehicles were assembled in Ouaga 2000, they received technical support from China. According to the director-general, Burkinabé engineers were trained in Chinese factories and are now applying this knowledge on African soil. He acknowledged that at the moment, the brand only handles the assembly process, with a prospect of launching our own designs in the coming years.
Research reveals that the ITAOUA is a rebranded version of the Dongfeng Nano Box, a Chinese electric vehicle. It offers the same 330-kilometre range and supports fast charging, allowing the battery to recharge in about 30 minutes.
| Feature | ITOUA (Burkina Faso) | Tesla Model 3 |
| Origin | Assembled in Burkina Faso (Ouaga 2000) | Manufactured in USA (Fremont, CA) |
| Base Vehicle | Dongfeng Nano Box (China) | Original Tesla design |
| Body Type | Compact Electric Microcar | Full size electric sedan |
| Seating Capacity | 4 passengers | 5 passengers |
| Claimed Range | 330km (CLTC standard) | 574 km (WLTP standard) |
| Real World Range | 250 km | 500 km |
| Charging Time | 30 minutes (30% -80%) | 20 minutes (20%-80%) |
| Motor Power | 44 hp (33kW) | 286 hp (213kW) |
| Torque | 125 Nm | 340 Nm |
| Top Speed | 100km/h | 225km/h |
| Battery Capacity | 27.2kWh | 75kWh |
| Driver Type | Front Wheel Drive (FWD) | Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) |
| Infotainment | 10-inch screen, GPS, Bluetooth | 15.4-inch touchscreen, over the air updates |
| Solar Charging | Yes | No |
| Safety Features | Dual airbags, ABS, EBD | Autopilot, 8 cameras, ABS, 6 airbags |
| Connectivity | Basic smartphone application (remote lock, AC) | Full Tesla application (remote, navigation, diagnostics) |
| Charging Network | Home charging; limited public stations | Global Tesla Supercharger network |
The Tesla Model 3 Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive variant offers a range exceeding 700 kilometres under the WLTP standard, with real-world highway testing consistently returning figures above 550 kilometres. In terms of power, the Dongfeng Nano Box, the vehicle the ITAOUA is built on produces 44 horsepower and has a top speed of 100 kilometres per hour. Tesla’s Long Range model delivers 286 horsepower.
CONCLUSION
The claim that Burkina Faso has built an electric car entirely from scratch that can travel 330 kilometres on a 30-minute charge and that it is better than Tesla is FALSE. The ITAOUA is a vehicle with a 330-kilometre manufacturer-claimed range, but it is not built from scratch, it is a locally assembled version of the Chinese Dongfeng Nano Box. Tesla’s vehicles operate an entirely different but higher performance class.
