Rising fuel prices are accelerating the shift toward electric mobility in Rwanda’s transport sector, as riders and commuters increasingly seek more affordable and sustainable alternatives. For motorcycle taxi operators who depend heavily on petrol, frequent price increases have led to shrinking earnings, while passengers face higher fares as transport costs rise. In response, electric motorcycles are gaining traction as a practical alternative, offering lower operating costs, reduced maintenance needs, more affordable fares for passengers, and protection from volatile fuel price fluctuations. ALSO READ: Spiro Rwanda launches over 150 e-bikes, extends automated swap stations to Muhanga, Kayonza The Ministry of Infrastructure has directed all government institutions to ensure that at least 30 per cent of vehicles they procure are fully electric. Rwanda stopped registering petrol-powered motorcycles for public transport in the City of Kigali in January 2025, limiting registration to electric motorbikes only, as part of the government’s shift toward sustainable mobility. Spiro is playing a key role in this transition by expanding its electric fleet and strengthening its battery-swapping infrastructure across the country. In an exclusive interview with The New Times, Amit Chawla, the Managing Director for Spiro in Rwanda, said the company’s e-bikes are no longer seen as a future concept but as an immediate, viable alternative. Below are the excerpts: What does Spiro mean to Rwanda and the Rwandan market? Spiro plays a meaningful role in supporting livelihoods across Rwanda. A large part of our customer base comprises motorcycle riders who depend on our platform for their daily income. At the same time, Spiro is closely aligned with Rwanda’s vision of being a clean, progressive, and environmentally responsible nation. By advancing green mobility, we are contributing to reduced emissions and a more sustainable future. Importantly, by making electric vehicles accessible and affordable, we are bridging economic opportunity with environmental responsibility. Spiro also stands for safety, efficiency, and long-term value—through lower noise, reduced emissions, and improved unit economics for riders. Together, these elements define what Spiro represents in Rwanda What do you tell those who still use petrol-powered motorcycles? Through constant innovation and significant investment in research and development, Spiro has been able to offer its assets at a very competitive cost. When you compare our bikes with fuel-powered bikes—what we call ICE (internal combustion engine) bikes—there is a significant difference due to our innovations. That is point number one: the initial cost of acquiring a bike is much lower than that of a fuel-powered bike. Then comes the cost of operating the bike. We have sufficient data to show that our electric bikes are about 50 per cent cheaper in terms of consumption compared to fuel-powered bikes. If you consider the current global situation, tensions in the Middle East have caused fuel prices to rise, including in Rwanda. This is understandable because most African countries, including Rwanda, import finished fuel products. When raw material prices increase, fuel prices inevitably rise. That is where we become more relevant. Our role is to provide affordability, safety, and better pricing. Can you compare battery costs with petrol costs? For example, at current prices, a litre of petrol costs about Rwf2,938. On average, one litre allows a rider to travel about 40 km on Rwanda’s terrain. In comparison, a fully charged battery costs around Rwf2,450 and allows travel of up to 75–80 km. That is nearly double the distance at about 20 per cent lower cost. Overall, this results in approximately 50–55 per cent lower operating costs compared to fuel-powered bikes. ALSO READ: Inside Spiro’s drive to build Rwanda’s e-mobility ecosystem through local assembly, mechanic training What assurances do you give to motorcycle owners across the country, especially those concerned about the availability of charging stations? We take that feedback seriously and with sensitivity. To provide context, we currently have close to 500 stations in Rwanda, about 200 of which are in Kigali. If you compare this with the number of bikes operating outside Kigali, we are well prepared to handle demand, even beyond Kigali. That said, we are continuously expanding our energy infrastructure—adding more swap stations, increasing battery availability, and deploying trained personnel to address these concerns. We strongly believe that energy infrastructure must grow alongside customer acquisition. In fact, we often prioritise infrastructure ahead of demand. What is the current status in terms of customers, sales, and job creation? We have deployed more than 20,000 bikes in Rwanda. When we started, we had only one employee. Today, we have about 1,650 employees. This journey has been very fulfilling. I am proud to say that most of our employees are local Rwandans. At our plant, you will find around 200 young Rwandan men and women contributing to building the future of the country. In the next five to 10 years, where do you see Spiro? Our aspirations for Rwanda remain strong. Over the next five years, we aim to scale to 75,000–80,000 bikes, expand our workforce to around 3,000 employees, and build a network of close to 1,000 swap stations supported by 65,000–70,000 batteries. This growth will further strengthen our contribution to both economic development and sustainable mobility. There have been concerns about safety, accidents, and queues at battery swap stations. What is your response? Let me address these issues one by one. On safety, we take all feedback seriously. We have thoroughly tested our bikes and invited regulators in Rwanda to assess and evaluate them. The results have been very positive. We continue to innovate to ensure safety remains our top priority. For example, each bike comes with two helmets straight from the factory. We have also made several improvements to ensure our bikes are suited to Rwanda’s challenging, mountainous terrain. Today, our bikes are among the safest and most reliable in the country. Regarding queues at swap stations, this is part of the growth journey. At times, demand exceeded our expectations due to the strong response from Rwandans, which led to temporary queues. However, we are actively addressing this by using data to understand demand patterns, including peak and off-peak hours, and adjusting our infrastructure accordingly. We are continuously improving and planning ahead to meet customer needs. Do you see Rwanda remaining an important market for you, and what partnerships are you considering? Rwanda is a very important market for us. We operate in about seven African countries, and Rwanda remains one of our most important markets. The country’s progressive policy environment and clear direction towards sustainable mobility create a strong foundation for companies like Spiro to invest and grow. We are building partnerships across the entire ecosystem—working with telecom companies for data and analytics, financial institutions to provide affordable financing for riders, electricity companies and regulators for energy infrastructure, and vendors such as dealers, service providers, and franchisees. These partnerships help us deliver better services and improve livelihoods. Any message to the public? We have been warmly welcomed by the people of Rwanda. Our message is simple: we will continue working hard to serve the people, improve livelihoods, and make life easier through our solutions.
