The motorcycle costs 185,000 shillings ($1,400) without the battery, about the same as a conventional motorbike. Kim Chepkoit, the founder of electric motorbike-making company Ecobodaa Mobility, added that “electricity costs are going to be more predictable and cushioned from the fluctuation of the fuel prices.”Įcobodaa’s flagship product is a motorcycle with two batteries, making it capable of covering 160 kilometers (100 miles) on one battery charge. “Our batteries cost $1.48 to swap a full battery which gives one mobility of about 90 to 110 kilometers (56 to 68 miles) as compared to the $1.44 of fuel that only guarantees a 30 to 40 kilometer ride (19 to 25 miles) on a motorcycle,” Mbote said. Ampersand plan to sell 500 more electric motorbikes by the end of the year.Ĭompanies say the savings of switching to electric and using a battery-swap system, rather than charging for several hours, are key selling point for customers. “We need friendly policies, taxes, regulations and incentives that would boost the entry into the market,” said Mbote, adding that favorable government tariffs in Rwanda accelerated its electric transport growth. Ian Mbote, the startup’s automotive engineer and expansion lead, says uptake has been relatively slow. The business currently operates seven battery-swapping stations spread across the country’s capital and has so far attracted 60 customers. “Each month one doesn’t have to be burdened by oil change, engine checks and other costly maintenance costs,” Kariuki said.Įlectric motorcycles are gaining traction in Kenya as private sector-led firms rush to set up charging points and battery-swapping stations to speed up the growth of cleaner transport and put the east African nation on a path toward fresher air and lower emissions.īut startups say more public support and better government schemes can help further propel the industry.Īmpersand, an African-based electric mobility company, began its Kenyan operations in May 2022. NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - On the packed streets of Nairobi, Cyrus Kariuki is one of a growing number of bikers zooming through traffic on an electric motorbike, reaping the benefits of cheaper transport, cleaner air and limiting planet-warming emissions in the process.
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