Kenyan riders of electric motorcycles want more adaptable battery systems.

Nairobi, Kenya — For several weeks, popular Kenyan podcaster and radio presenter Francis Kibe Njeri has used his social media platforms to highlight a problem he says many electric motorcycle riders face but few companies in the industry acknowledge: batteries that are unable to be swapped out of the network and motorcycles that can be remotely disabled after a period of inactivity.

Electric motorcycles, also known as electric mobility bikes or e-bikes, are gaining popularity across Africa, led by companies like Ampersand, ARC Ride and Roam. The continent’s largest e-bike firm, Spiro, operates more than 1,200 battery charging and swap stations and has deployed about 60,000 electric motorcycles, according to its most recent public filing in late 2024.

Njeri, in his widely shared post, claimed that remote lockout features of some operators have made electric motorcycles unusable, stranding riders who depend on them for their livelihood. He is among many who are calling for more open, standardised battery systems.

“It’s not fair that we buy the bike, but the batteries remain the property of the manufacturer, and we can only use their stations and can’t charge them at home,” Njeri said.

Hundreds of Kenyan e-bike riders took to the streets.

Hundreds of Kenyan e-bike riders took to the streets in Nairobi and the coastal city of Mombasa in November, chanting slogans and waving placards demanding more battery-swap stations and open access to the network.

“Whenever I can’t find a swap point and keep waiting, I lose up to 500 Kenyan shillings ($4.50),” said Oscar Okite, a Nairobi-based rider who has adopted e-bikes for lower operating costs but says rare swap stations limit his earning potential. “We need a battery network that works everywhere, not just in the city.”

Electric motorcycles powered by replaceable lithium-ion batteries are cheaper to use than gas-powered bikes. Most of these companies say riders can save up to 40% on daily operating expenses because electricity is cheaper than fuel and maintenance is easier.

Yet there is still unequal access to swap stations, hubs where riders trade charged batteries within minutes. In Nairobi and other urban centres, networks operated by Spiro, Ampersand and their competitors have installed dozens of stations, but shortfalls remain in areas outside and on major corridors.

“It’s great when I’m close to a proper swap site,” Njeri said. “But go two or three towns away and chances are you’ll be stuck.”

Africa’s electric motorcycle companies have mostly created vertically integrated systems, where the vehicle, battery and charging infrastructure are designed to work only within a single brand’s ecosystem.

The latest data from the Africa e-Mobility Alliance shows that East Africa leads the way with more than 89 active e-mobility companies, followed by Southern Africa with 46, West Africa with 39 and North Africa with 19. There are only six such companies in Central Africa.

The majority are e-bike companies, with 16% offering three-wheelers.

East Africa contributed the most to e-mobility investments as of September, at $207 million, followed by West Africa at $173 million and Southern Africa at $100 million.

The mainstay of the e-bike business is battery-swap networks, an energy system that has proven effective in Asia and parts of Europe. But critics say fragmented systems where batteries and stations are tied to specific brands because of their proprietary technologies are hindering growth despite supportive government policies.

“The lack of interoperability in charging and battery-swapping stations remains one of the biggest barriers to growing the sector,” said Eric Tsui, commercial manager at asset financing firm Vatu Africa.

“From a financing and consumer perspective, the worst-case scenario is multiple swap stations that cannot serve all riders,” he said. “We need interoperability so that batteries can be charged or swapped at any station, regardless of operator.”

Sharing swap networks is important to enhance power mobility. But the investment cost is high.

Building a network involves not only batteries and charging stations but also land, security, software systems, and ongoing maintenance. Companies require millions of dollars before they can make any return on their investments. Standardising battery sizes, security protocols, and payment systems across companies also involves complex technical and commercial negotiations.

Spiro CEO Kaushik Barman said he is ready to share the network if it is done safely, pointing to battery safety standards set by Singapore and India. He said his company “welcomes manufacturers who would like to build e-bikes that can run on our battery systems.”

“Before giving them permission, we will integrate, test and certify,” he said. “However, allowing any battery to openly enter any swap station without integration is a recipe for disaster that we cannot accept.”

Ampersand announced plans in January to expand its battery-swap network to other electric motorcycle manufacturers, allowing compatible bikes to use its infrastructure in the first such system in Africa.

“This open-platform approach means more manufacturers can enter the market without the need to build separate charging infrastructure,” said Josh Whaley, CEO of Ampersand. “In Africa’s e-mobility sector, one company often controls the bikes and battery networks, but energy markets shouldn’t work that way.”

Ampersand sees itself as an electric battery “fuel station”, Whaley said, where electric bikes whose battery packs meet quality and safety standards should be able to plug in. E-bikes from other companies like Vialex Mobility can enter Ampersand’s network in Kenya and Rwanda, increasing ridership access.

Riders say the changes are overdue.

“When I can’t swap on time, it’s hurting my business,” said Kevin Macharia, a Nairobi e-bike rider who sometimes declines ride and delivery requests for fear of going too far from a swap station when his charge is low. “We used electricity to earn more, not to stand on the roadside.”

___

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from several private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. find api standards A list of philanthropies to work with, supporters and funded coverage areas at ap.org.