Primelephas is a genus of Elephantinae[1] that existed during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs.

These primitive elephantids are thought to be the common ancestor of Mammuthus, the mammoths, and the closely allied genera Elephas and Loxodonta, the Asian and African elephants, diverging some 4-6 million years ago.

[2] It had four tusks, which is a trait not shared with its descendants, but common in earlier proboscideans.

The type species, Primelephas gomphotheroides, was described by Vincent Maglio in 1970, with the specific epithet indicating the fossil specimens were gomphothere-like.

All fossils found of the Primelephas have been found in Africa, primarily in modern day Chad, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Uganda.