- Electric motorcycles in Africa are rapidly gaining popularity due to their lower operating costs, driven by rising fuel prices and the push for sustainable transport.
- The African motorcycle market, expected to reach $5.07 billion by 2027, sees significant contributions from Chinese companies, particularly in battery production and assembly.
- Uganda, Kenya, and other African nations are implementing strategies to transition to electric mobility, aiming to reduce pollution, cut emissions, and create green jobs by 2040.
In Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, residents increasingly rely on motorcycles for transport due to their flexibility and affordability. More electric models have recently emerged on the roads, reflecting a shift toward sustainable transport across Africa.
Environmental awareness and technological advances have driven many African countries to promote electric motorcycles. This effort aims to reduce pollution and embrace greener alternatives. The expansion of online motorcycle taxi services has further boosted this market.
Kenya has Africa’s largest motorcycle taxi market and employs 5.2 million people in the sector. With one in ten Kenyans depending on motorcycles for their livelihood, rising fuel prices have made electric motorcycles more appealing. Electric motorcycles cost only about 10 per cent per kilometre compared to gasoline-powered bikes, spurring demand.
This cost advantage has fueled the rise of electric motorcycles across the continent. Powering Renewable Energy, a think tank, reports that the African motorcycle market will reach $5.07 billion by 2027, with electric models leading the transition to sustainable transport in sub-Saharan Africa.
Governments across Africa are working to reduce pollution by promoting electric mobility. Joyce Msuya, former deputy executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme, noted that the rapid growth of electric motorcycles in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and other African countries “will reduce costs, air pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions while creating jobs.”
In Uganda, Gogo Electric, one of the top three electric motorcycle manufacturers, imports lithium-ion batteries from China and assembles the bikes locally. The company operates battery swap stations where customers exchange used batteries for fully charged ones at a lower cost. Chief Operating Officer Janos Bisasso believes that, over time, battery swapping will surpass traditional refuelling in appeal.
Uganda’s transport sector remains a significant pollution source, making the shift to green energy crucial. The National E-Mobility Strategy, released last November, outlines a plan to fully transition to electric mobility in public transport and motorcycle taxis by 2030 and phase out gasoline vehicle sales by 2040. The strategy aims to cut transport-related emissions by over 25 per cent and create more than 500,000 green jobs by 2040.
According to the International Energy Agency, the African electric vehicle market is increasing, with significant progress in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya. Chinese companies, leveraging motorcycle manufacturing and battery production expertise, have played a vital role in this transformation, offering affordable, high-quality products central to Africa’s electric transport “revolution.”
In Kenya, start-up ARC Ride has set up local research, assembly, and sales operations. However, the company still imports parts from China, India, and Japan, with China as the primary supplier. Spiro Electric Vehicles, another major player, signed a deal with a Chinese company in 2023 to sell 500,000 electric motorcycles over the next five years, targeting markets like Kenya and Uganda.
“China inspires many African companies in the field of electric transport,” said Bisasso of Gogo Electric. The company plans to build East Africa’s largest lithium-ion battery assembly plant this year, with China as a critical partner in the project.