Rwanda is soon to do away with gas motorcycles in favor of eco-friendly e-motos

Rwanda is set to establish a national policy to replace the more common gas motorcycles with the more eco-friendly option, e-motos.

Rwanda’s president Kagame said at a youth forum, “We will find a way to replace the ones you have now. We urge taxi-moto operators to help us when the phase-out process comes.”

His statements were confirmed to TechCrunch by Patrick Nyirishema, who is the Director General for the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority.

The country’s government is planning a national e-mobility plan which is yet to come to fruition.

As in several East African countries, motorcycles are a popular mode of transit for locals, commonly referred to as ‘boda bodas‘ in Kenya and Uganda.

An estimated 20-30 thousand motorcyles operate in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital.

Nyirishema added that the switch to e-motorcycles is part of a strategy to transition Rwandas transport sector to electric in its entirety, starting with the public sector –  i.e motorcycles, buses and eventually automobiles. He said, “Once the policy is out, we’ll no longer permit any motorcycle that is not electric to be added to a fleet.”

The motorcycle taxi market in Africa is estimated to stand at USD 4 billion, a statistic which prompted international ride-hailing firms such as Uber and Bolt to jump into the business.

Startups are spearheading the march towards e-motorcycles, not only in Rwanda but in other African countries as well.

Nigerian motorcycle taxi and delivery startup MAX.ng recently took on USD 7 million in series A funding to pilot e-motorcycles powered by renewable energy sources.

Rwanda will allow appropriate time for motorcycle operators to make the switch when the policy is passed.

It is not yet clear which corporate partners the government will take on to facilitate the switch.

Related article: Vivendi to invest in $40 million Kigali Cultural Village to boost entertainment in Rwanda

Ampersand  is a Kigali-based startup that begun to pilot EVs and charging systems in Rwanda in 2018. The company says it may be involved in planning the transition.

Ampersand has shaped its own e-motorcycle model, building the batteries and fitting them into new motorcycle chassis imported from Asia. To keep the taxi-moto riders consistently moving — versus delayed while recharging — the startup has developed a battery-swapping system and station.

Cango is one of the ride-hail startups testing Ampersand’s e-motos, with e-motos available on demand in various locations across Rwanda and Cango. Cango co-founder Barrett Nash, said, “We intend to be among the first to switch our fleet, as the [Ampersand] bikes are ready.”