In Kenya, electric motorcycles are gaining ground. They are increasingly preferred to petrol motorcycles due to rising fuel prices caused by the war in the Middle East.
Their sales have increased by about 40% over the past three months, according to the Kenyan Electromobility Association.
"Since the outbreak of war in the Middle East and the rise in fuel prices in Kenya, we have seen an increase in motorcycle sales. The increase is over 40%. 40% increase in bicycle sales," explains Musa Juma, sales manager at Arc Ride Motorbikes.
Lucy Wanjiku is a delivery driver. She explains that the savings she made by switching to an electric motorcycle were considerable.
"When I was using a gas-powered motorcycle, I was spending about $12 a day on fuel. But with the electric one, I use $5. I go by, I might go by two or three times, but most of the time I go by twice. So, you see, it saves me almost $3 or $4 a day compared to what I was paying with a gas-powered bike," she explains.
The bikes are also relatively inexpensive – around $750. A fully charged battery has a range of about 80 kilometers and costs $2, which is about half the price of gasoline.
“War has never been good anywhere. It is regrettable that it is happening. However, what we learn from this is that, as a country, we have no control over fuel. 100% of the fuel used in the country is imported. The energy we use for electric vehicles is locally sourced and 93% comes from renewable sources. So I think this is a wake-up call for the country to explore opportunities, offer incentives, and support the growth of EVs in the country,” emphasizes Hezbon Muse, President of the E-Mobility Association of Kenya.
However, the war in the Middle East has led to an increase in the cost of spare parts, most of which come from China.
