Moses Lugalia has embraced Kenya’s emerging electric vehicle movement by trading in his fuel motorbike’s loud roar for an electric motorbike’s soft hum, Africa Today News, New York understands.
The 27-year-old motorbike taxi driver, known as a “boda-boda” in the community, was most motivated to switch to electric power by the prospect of financial savings at a time when fuel prices are steadily rising.
Motorbike taxis are everywhere in Kenya, as in many African countries, because they are cheaper than cars, and can be better for navigating the notorious traffic jams in the capital, Nairobi.
Mr Lugalia has been in the motorbike taxi business for five years, transporting people and goods around Nairobi.
He would spend about 1,000 Kenyan shillings a day – just over $6 (£5) – on fuel when he used a petrol bike.
Nairobi drivers earn on average about $10-15 a day, according to the country’s Boda-Boda Association.
Since going electric, Mr Lugalia says he spends no more than $1.42 a day – so his profits are now up and that makes him very happy.
“Because of the cost of petrol, I am able to save a lot more using my electric bike,” says Mr Lugalia with a smile.
Instead of filling up with petrol, Mr Lugalia now swaps the bike’s electric battery once, sometimes twice, a day at one of the growing number of swap stations in Nairobi. A fully charged battery will allow him to drive for about 80km (50 miles), almost a whole day’s work.
“Electric is the future in Kenya,” Mr Lugalia tells the BBC.
The Kenyan government thinks so too. President William Ruto launched a national “e-mobility” programme on 1 September 2023.
Motorbikes and three-wheeled tuk-tuks, or auto rickshaws, are the centrepiece of a move to make transport green and reduce air pollution.
The government hopes the prospect of cheaper running costs will create a gearshift in the minds of other drivers of the ubiquitous boda-bodas, most of whom still use petrol or diesel.
There are about three million boda-boda riders in Kenya, according to the transport minister, and the UN estimates some five million people benefit from their incomes.
Taking a boda-boda is a convenient, fast and cheap way to get around.
However, many of the motorcycles are large polluters that are old and badly maintained. Despite producing less carbon dioxide than cars, they release more hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which have an impact on the climate and the quality of the air.
Nairobi is among the most crowded cities in the world. During rush hour, the population jumps from roughly 4.5 million to over six million.
According to the Clean Air Fund, transport is responsible for 20% of greenhouse gas emissions worldwide and for 40% of Nairobi’s air pollution, therefore the daily traffic jams may be an agonising nightmare for commuters.
Deforestation, agriculture, industrialization, and the open burning of garbage are some other significant contributors to climate change.
Africa contributes only 2% to 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, but it suffers disproportionately from climate change, according to the UN Environment Programme.
Nevertheless, Kenya’s government sees a shift to green transport as vital to help meet its climate goals. It wants more than 200,000 electric bikes on the road by the end of 2024.
On average e-bikes emit 75% less total greenhouse gases.
So far only about 2,000 boda-boda drivers have switched from petrol to electric.