Kenya's nationwide e-bike program revealed

author: FutureCar Staff    

Kenya has announced plans to introduce electric motorbikes as part of a green transport scheme aimed at reducing carbon emissions and pollution. President William Ruto revealed the initiative, in collaboration with African startup Spiro, just days before hosting the first Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. Ruto emphasized the country's commitment to adopting low-carbon and efficient transportation systems, including clean and sustainable energy technologies.

Ruto stated that Kenya currently has 1,000 electric bikes, with another 10,000 on their way. Spiro has also established a plant with the capacity to assemble 1,000 vehicles per day. Kenya has approximately two million motorbikes on its roads, primarily used as taxis. Ruto emphasized the importance of electric mobility as a high-priority intervention to address pollution, adverse health effects, and fuel costs.

Kenya aims to eventually phase out combustion engine-powered motorbikes, as their increasing use across the continent has serious implications for climate change and air quality. Although Africa only contributes 2-3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, it suffers disproportionately from climate change impacts, according to the UN Environment Programme.

Spiro has already introduced nearly 10,000 electric bikes in Africa, including countries like Benin, Togo, Rwanda, and Uganda. The company plans to establish 3,000 battery charging and swapping stations in Kenya, in addition to the 350 already present across Africa. The long-term goal is to roll out over one million electric vehicles throughout the country.

In a separate development, Uber recently announced the launch of its own electric motorcycle taxis in Nairobi, marking a first for the company in Africa. Uber plans to initially introduce 3,000 electric bikes, which are expected to reduce running costs for drivers by 30-35% and fares by 15-20%. The launch also aligns with Uber's global efforts to become a zero-emissions platform by 2040.

The boda boda sector in Kenya, which includes motorbike taxis, employs over 1.5 million young people and contributes around 202 billion Kenyan shillings ($1.4 billion) to the economy annually, according to the World Bank. The Kenyan government aims to have 5% of all registered vehicles in the country be electric-powered by 2030. Currently, the number of registered electric vehicles (EVs) accounts for less than 1% of the total 4.4 million registered vehicles.

Ruto, who is actively involved in African climate change initiatives, highlighted Kenya's potential to generate 100% of its energy from renewable sources such as hydro-electric, geothermal, solar, and wind power by 2030. However, the country still faces challenges, including frequent power cuts and recent increases in fuel prices. These factors contribute to the economic hardship experienced by Kenyans, who are already grappling with a cost of living crisis and new taxes.

Overall, Kenya's plans to introduce electric motorbikes and transition to renewable energy sources demonstrate the country's commitment to addressing climate change and promoting sustainable development.

FutureCar Staff