Kevin Otieno, a boda boda operator in Umoja estate has joined the growing electric bikes revolution in Kenya, by replacing his noisy petrol motorbike with a more quiet electric bike.
One of the major reasons for the shift, Otieno said, was to save on operating costs and make more money.
This, even as he feels the need to be part of the global change on EVs which is seen to be the quickest means to decarbonise motorised transport.
“I have been in the boda boda industry for over seven years now. At first, I doubted the electric bikes but after seeing my friend operate smoothly with major savings, I opted for one. So far I can say this is the future of the industry,” Otieno told the Star.
He says maintenance costs have also gone down.
Before the shift, he would spend up to Sh1,200 on fuel daily, depending on how busy the day was, which would eat into his earnings, sometimes taking home a paltry Sh700 or Sh1,000.
Now, he simply swaps the bike's electric battery once or twice a day at Sh450.
The number of swap stations in Nairobi is growing, which assures riders of getting “charged” for the road.
Otieno is among thousands of riders who are reaping the dividends of the e-mobility revolution not only in Kenya but the East Africa region, which the government is keen on to cut carbon emissions by 32 per cent by 2030
A fully charged battery allows one to drive for up to 150 kilometers, equal to a whole day of operations for city boda boda operators.
The latest e-mobility study by Strathmore University shows a single petrol bike emits 4.2 tonnes of carbon gas every year, meaning that the two million boda boda industry which brings Sh1 billion to Kenya’s economy, erodes the returns by generating at least 8.4 million tonnes of carbon.
Generally, the transport sector contributes a massive 20 percent of total greenhouse emissions in the country.
“Shifting to electric bikes in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and elsewhere will reduce costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as create jobs,” said Joyce Msuya, UNEP deputy executive director.
The government removed five different taxes in the electric motorcycle-manufacturing sector, including the 16 per cent VAT on electric motorcycles.
Electric-powered motor companies like Opibus, Roam Air, Ampersand, and STIMA, are among those leading the shift in the country.
The government has pledged to support the acquisition of electric motorcycles in the country to a high of 200,000 pieces by the end of 2024, with President William Ruto encouraging local manufacturing.
According to the President, spare parts, batteries and components needed for their manufacture will be tax-exempt.
“If you want to manufacture the batteries in Kenya, the cost will be low,” the President said during a recent visit to Roam Park, an electric motorcycle assembly plant in Industrial Area, Nairobi.
Meanwhile, KenGen, Kenya Power and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) are keen to ensure the shift to e-mobility is well supported.
According to EPRA, Kenya has enough power generation and power capacity to sustain 100 per cent electric mobility transition of motorcycles in the country, estimated as 6,000 MW and 300 MW, in relation to the consumption and power, respectively.