Motorcycles have long dominated East Africa’s road transport sector. They’re ubiquitous in the region’s cities and villages, and play a key role in connecting people to markets and opportunities. Now, they’re leading an electric vehicle revolution.
And unlike many other parts of the world, East Africa’s electric two-wheelers are powered largely by carbon-free energy.
Renewables account for 65% of the region’s electricity generating capacity, according to a 2023 study co-authored by the OECD and the African Union. This has been enabled by the expansion of hydropower in the early 2000s, and subsequently by investments in geothermal, bioenergy, wind, and solar power. There’s more to come – Kenya, for its part, aims to be entirely powered by renewables by 2030.
Behind the EV boom: To overcome upfront affordability challenges in a region where incomes remain low, suppliers of electric two-wheelers have introduced innovative financing plans, and they compete aggressively on tailored offerings.
That’s helped galvanised a transition that drivers themselves are keen on.
Motorcycle taxi drivers – known locally as bodabodas – who have made the switch to electric models often say they were motivated by the ease of maintaining them and the lower operational costs, relative to petrol-powered ones.
According to Kenyan vehicle financing firm Mogo, drivers typically save 160 Kenyan Shillings ($1.20) a day when using an electric bike over an 80 kilometre range, compared to a 150cc petrol model.
“I get better returns from my bike than I used to get from a petrol bodaboda,” says Wilson Oduor, a driver based in the port city of Mombasa. “That’s because the cost of charging the electric bike is lower.”
However, the lack of charging stations along major highways and in towns remains a challenge as it restricts drivers to certain areas, Oduor says.
Authorities are working to plug the gaps.
Kenya plans to construct 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations by 2027, with 700 set to be installed in urban areas and 300 along highways. Uganda, which had just three EV charging stations in August 2022, has also been steadily adding new ones. In Tanzania, the first EV charging station was set up in 2023 in Dodoma.
But the dearth of chargers is not a dealbreaker for would-be owners of electric bodabodas. Uduor says he charges his motorcycle once a day when he gets home. He simply plugs his bike into a wall socket and leaves it to charge for about two hours.
He’s happy with his choice, saying the electric bike offers a smoother ride, while it doesn’t spew toxic fumes, and is quiet.
“And this electric bike does not have a chain, like a petrol motorbike,” said Wilson. “That’s saved me from the hassle of having to adjust the chains or to constantly replace parts, such as bearings. Maintenance costs are very low – all I do is charge the bike and I’m good to go.”
In addition to bodabodas, electric bikes have become popular in the goods delivery industry.
Piki, a food delivery service that operates in Tanzanian cities, uses electric mopeds driven by women and students.
Tags: Bodaboda, Electric two-wheeler
