The rise of electric motorcycles in Africa – an overview
Across Africa, millions of motorcycles are used every day as taxi vehicles, known as boda-bodas in East Africa or okadas in West Africa. These motorcycles form the backbone of urban mobility and provide income for millions of riders.
Since a few years, the sector has begun a major transformation: electrification. Electric motorcycles promise significantly lower operating costs, less maintenance and reduced urban pollution. For professional riders who spend most of their income on petrol and repairs, switching to electric can increase their daily earnings.
A new generation of African startups is emerging to serve this market. Instead of focusing on private consumers, these companies design electric motorcycles specifically for taxi riders and delivery fleets. Many combine the vehicles with battery-swap infrastructure, financing solutions and digital fleet management.
East Africa, particularly Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, has become the epicentre of this transformation. But similar initiatives are now appearing across the continent.
East Africa: the global epicentre of electric motorcycle taxis
If there is one place where electric motorcycles are taking off fastest, it is East Africa. Countries such as Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda have millions of motorcycle taxis operating every day. Because these riders cover large distances and rely on their bikes for income, they are extremely sensitive to fuel costs. This makes electric motorcycles economically attractive. Several innovative startups have emerged in the region, combining electric motorcycles with battery-swap networks and flexible financing models.
The next wave: electric motorcycle startups across Africa
While East Africa leads the transition, a growing number of startups across the continent are entering the electric motorcycle sector. Although the African electric motorcycle industry is still young, its growth potential is enormous. With millions of motorcycles already operating across the continent, electrification could transform urban mobility and reduce fuel dependence. For electric motorcycle manufacturers worldwide, Africa may well become one of the most important emerging markets of the next decade.
The African electric motorcycle context
- Taxi fleets drive the market: electric motorcycles in Africa are primarily commercial vehicles, used by motorcycle taxis and delivery services rather than private riders.
- Battery swapping dominates: most companies avoid long charging times by using battery-swap stations, enabling riders to exchange batteries in a few minutes—similar to refuelling petrol bikes.
- Lower operating costs are the key driver: electric motorcycles can reduce operational costs by 30–40% or more, significantly improving the income of taxi riders.
- Rapid growth: in countries like Kenya, electric motorcycles are already approaching 10% of new motorcycle sales, showing how quickly the sector is expanding.
An impression of the African electric motorcycle / services startups
East Africa
- Ampersand, Rwanda / Kenya: One of the pioneers of electric motorcycles in Africa. Founded in Kigali, the company focuses on electric motorcycles for motorcycle-taxi fleets and runs a growing battery-swap network across Rwanda and Kenya. Wylex Mobility and Ampersand Energy have a partnership to integrate Wylex’s electric motorcycles with Ampersand’s battery swap network across East Africa, including Kenya and Rwanda.
- ARC Ride, Kenya: ARC Ride offers electric motorcycles combined with a battery-as-a-service ecosystem, allowing riders to access swappable batteries without purchasing them outright.
- Bodawerk, Uganda: Early pioneer focused on converting combustion motorcycles to electric and building battery systems.
- Ecobodaa, Kenya: Nairobi startup building electric motorcycles specifically for rough roads and heavy taxi use, supported by battery-swap infrastructure.
- eWAKA, Kenya: Provides electric motorcycles, e-bikes and scooters for urban mobility and delivery fleets with digital fleet management tools.
- e-Zuri, Kenya: Presents electric motorcycles, smart batteries and battery-swap stations for boda-boda drivers, using flexible payment plans and battery-leasing models.
- Fika Mobility, Kenya: Focuses on affordable electric motorcycles combined with battery swapping to accelerate the transition from petrol motorcycles.
- Fleevigo, a Maltese EV startup that debuted its electric motorcycles in Kenya in 2025. 2-3 Wheel EV Micro-Mobility for delivery & ride-hailing
- GOGO Electric, Uganda – Formerly Bodawerk, GOGO Electric manufactures electric motorcycles and lithium-ion batteries in Kampala and targets the boda-boda sector.
- Kiri EV, Kenya – Develops electric motorcycles and battery-swap infrastructure for Kenya’s boda-boda sector.
- Power Gogo (China) is set to enter Kenya. The company manufactures EV batteries, electric motorcycles and swapping cabinets.
- Redvers Mobility, Uganda – Electric motorcycles and solar charging solutions for boda-boda fleets.
- Roam Electric, Kenya – Formerly Opibus, Roam develops electric motorcycles designed together with boda-boda riders. The company emphasizes local manufacturing and African-specific design.
- Skoot Technology, Kenya – Skoot was founded in 2023 to bring clean mobility (2 and 3 wheelers), smart energy, digital commerce, and finance onto a single platform.
- Stima Mobility, Kenya – Provides electric motorcycles and battery-swap infrastructure for taxi riders.
- TankVolt, Nairobi / Kenya – Actively involved in the electric mobility market, and expanding to Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.
- Zembo, Uganda – Provides electric motorcycles through a lease-to-own model with solar-powered battery swap stations for taxi riders.
- ZENO, Kenya / Uganda – Zeno’s main presence in Africa is in East Africa, particularly Kenya and Uganda, where they are actively building out their electric motorcycle and battery swap infrastructure.
Pan-African / multi-country operators
- Spiro: Currently the largest electric motorcycle deployment company in Africa, operating in countries such as Benin, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda with tens of thousands of bikes and battery-swap stations.
Rwanda
- Rwanda Electric Mobility (REM): Develops electric motorcycles and battery-swap infrastructure.
- Safi Moto: Provides battery-swap technology for electric motorcycle taxis.
Tanzania
- AfricroozE: Startup involved in electric two-wheel mobility (e-bike) projects in Tanzania.
West Africa
- BNC Motors (India) has entered Ghana through a partnership with Six-EV, a local EV firm.
- Dodai, Ethiopia / Japan – Startup deploying electric motorcycles and battery-swap infrastructure.
- Kofa, Ghana – Develops battery-swap technology for electric motorcycles.
- MAX (Metro Africa Xpress), Nigeria – Ride-hailing company now deploying electric motorcycles and swap infrastructure.
- Siltech, Nigeria – Develops locally assembled electric motorcycles.
- SolarTaxi, Ghana – Electric vehicle startup building solar-charged electric motorcycles and scooters.
- Valternative, Ghana – Develops electric motorcycles and energy infrastructure for West Africa.
Southern Africa
- Electric Motorcycles SA: Distributor and assembler of electric motorcycles.
- Green Riders: Uses electric motorcycles for delivery fleets and logistics.
- Jiangmen Tengxin Motorcycle Technology (china) is set to build an electric vehicle factory in Zimbabwe. The company plans to use the Zimbabwe factory to serve Southern Africa (mainly two- and three-wheelers).
- REM Mobility: Startup working on electric two-wheel mobility and charging infrastructure. The company has had around 300 electric motorcycles in operation since 2019, mostly used by motorcycle taxi riders, demonstrating ongoing deployment and use of the EMB2000 model
Our Media partner SteckerBiker has also dived into this topic last year:
