Rwanda’s journey towards electrifying its motorcycle fleet is an inspiring story of ambition mixed with practical challenges and the necessity for a smarter path forward. Motorcycles dominate Rwandan roads, accounting for around 55–60 per cent of all vehicles, with about 150,000 ‘motos’ nationwide, 70 per cent of which serve as ‘moto-taxis’—primarily in Kigali, where 40,000 plus are registered for commercial use. That alone highlights how critical the motorcycle market is to everyday life and transportation in Rwanda, and how vital the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) is for sustainable development. Starting January 2025, Rwanda implemented a bold and decisive policy to accelerate its electric two-wheeler transition by banning the registration of petrol-powered motorcycles for commercial use in Kigali. From this date forward, only electric motorcycles are allowed to be registered as moto-taxis, effectively phasing out new ICE motorcycle registrations in the capital. Supported by generous government incentives such as full import tax exemptions for EVs, rent-free land for charging infrastructure, and capped electricity tariffs, this regulation sends a strong market signal that Rwanda is committed to a low-carbon future in transport. Currently, the government’s retrofitting programme, which converts fuel-powered bikes to electric, has proven the concept’s viability; converted motorcycles operate smoothly and reduce maintenance costs. But this approach faces real hurdles: escalating retrofitting costs now range from Rwf800,000 to Rwf1 million per bike, battery longevity challenges, and a severe shortage of charging infrastructure. Riders express concern over the scarcity of charging or battery swapping points, making long trips from Kigali to other districts like Rusizi daunting with EVs. This is where Rwanda can learn from the success and scale achieved by electric two-wheeler companies such as Spiro. Spiro has impressively rolled out over 400 battery swap stations across Rwanda and continues to add 100 more every month. This enables riders to travel from Kigali to Rusizi without range anxiety. The company also operates a fleet of over 9,000 electric bikes, with IoT-enabled smart batteries that users can swap seamlessly—a feature that locks them into the network but guarantees availability and reliability. African countries are uniquely poised to leapfrog directly to EV two-wheelers over fossil fuel models, given their large commercial motorcycle usage and environmental priorities. Meanwhile, countries in Asia, particularly India, removed fossil fuel subsidies beginning in 2014 and redirected these funds into EV demand activation initiatives—notably the FAME 1 and 2 policy phases—which helped achieve 20 per cent EV penetration in major cities. The Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme further encouraged new suppliers to scale EV production, including parts and component manufacturing. Scaling Rwanda’s EV transition cost-effectively demands focused R&D and strategic global partnerships, which bring expertise in manufacturing low-cost, durable lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Such alliances would accelerate technology transfer, optimise battery lifecycle management, and reduce import dependencies. Government incentives should target supporting local research, technician training, and creating a regulatory framework that promotes innovation while ensuring widespread charging infrastructure deployment. Initiatives such as the recent partnership between Spiro and Mt. Kigali University through Spiro Academy—which equips Rwandan youth with technical expertise to bridge the shortage of qualified personnel in the EV sector—are among many strategies that should be replicated to strengthen the workforce. Rwanda’s government has established strong momentum in EV adoption by mandating the ban on gasoline-powered bikes in Kigali. There is now a significant opportunity for electric mobility infrastructure providers to invest heavily in expanding the battery swapping network. Such a coordinated strategy promises cleaner air, higher earnings for motorcycle riders, and a more eco-friendly transportation future. As Spiro and other EV players have demonstrated, the Rwandan government is enabling a bold transition rooted in global trends—one that positions Rwanda as a regional EV leader and sets a scalable model for Africa. Rwanda does not need to reinvent the wheel but can lead Africa’s electric two-wheeler revolution by fostering collaboration, innovation, and smart policy. Kaushik Burman is the CEO of Spiro, Africa’s leading electric two-wheeler company, driving innovations in sustainable mobility across the continent.
