Kenya's nationwide e-bike scheme revealed by government

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【Summary】The Kenyan government plans to introduce electric motorbikes nationwide to address pollution, health effects, and fuel costs. President William Ruto aims to phase out combustion engine-powered motorbikes, citing their impact on climate change and air quality. African startup Spiro has already introduced 10,000 electric bikes in Africa and plans to set up battery-charging and swapping stations in Kenya. Kenya also aims to generate 100% of its energy from renewable sources by 2030.

FutureCar Staff Sep 02, 2023 9:15 AM PT

Kenya's nationwide e-bike scheme revealed by government

The Kenyan government has announced plans to introduce electric motorbikes across the country. President William Ruto revealed the initiative in partnership with African startup Spiro, just days before hosting the first Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. Kenya currently has about two million motorbikes on its roads, primarily used as taxis known as "boda bodas". Ruto stated that adopting electric mobility is crucial to address pollution, health issues, and fuel costs.

Ruto emphasized the need to phase out combustion engine-powered motorbikes, warning about the serious implications of their increasing use for climate change and air quality. Although Africa only contributes two to three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, it suffers disproportionately from the effects of climate change. Spiro, on the other hand, has already introduced nearly 10,000 electric bikes in various African countries, including Benin, Togo, Rwanda, and Uganda.

The startup plans to establish 3,000 battery-charging and swapping stations in Kenya, adding to the 350 already present across Africa. It also aims to roll out over one million electric vehicles throughout the country. Ruto, positioning himself at the forefront of African climate change efforts, expressed Kenya's potential to generate 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2030. Currently, the country relies heavily on hydroelectric and geothermal power.

However, Kenya faces challenges such as frequent power cuts, as demonstrated by a recent massive outage that left several regions, including Nairobi and its international airport, without electricity for hours. Additionally, fuel prices have reached their highest levels in over a decade, exacerbating the economic hardship faced by Kenyans due to a cost-of-living crisis and new taxes. Despite these obstacles, the government aims to increase the number of registered electric vehicles, which currently account for less than one percent of the total 4.4 million registered vehicles in Kenya.