Africa Observation｜Chinese products and technologies help accelerate the arrival of the "electric era" of motorcycles in Africa
2024-08-13
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Xinhua News Agency, Nairobi/Kampala, August 13 (Reporter Huang Wei, Nie Zuguo, Lin Jing) "In terms of electric travel, China is a source of inspiration for many African companies." Speaking of electric motorcycles and accessories produced in China, Janos Bisasso, an electric motorcycle manufacturer in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, told reporters.
Bisasso runs an electric motorcycle company in Kampala. The company imports lithium batteries from China and assembles them into electric motorcycles locally. He told reporters that after purchasing a motorcycle, customers can enjoy the "battery exchange" service and send the used battery to the exchange station at any time to exchange for a fully charged battery. For customers, this battery exchange model is cheaper than refueling a fuel motorcycle.
On March 2, 2021, a forest ranger tried out an electric motorcycle provided by China Tailing Group in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo by Joy Nabukwa, Xinhua News AgencySo far, the company run by Bisasso has sold more than 1,600 motorcycles, established more than 80 battery replacement stations, and deployed more than 3,800 batteries in the battery replacement network. He told reporters with great anticipation that as the number of customers continues to increase, the company also plans to build the largest lithium battery assembly plant in East Africa this year.
Bissaso said that China's battery technology and electric vehicle technology are very good, and the components that African companies are currently unable to obtain locally during their operations are basically from China.
Uganda is just a microcosm. More and more African companies are working with Chinese partners to explore the vast market potential of electric motorcycles.
Motorcycles have a special meaning in the "road culture" of African countries. Due to their flexibility, convenience and relatively low price, motorcycles are an important choice for many African residents to travel, not only as a private means of transportation, but also as an important means of public transportation.
With the rise of online motorcycle taxis, the motorcycle market is welcoming huge development opportunities. Electric motorcycles have advantages over traditional fuel motorcycles in terms of cost and environmental protection, and are driving new changes in transportation in Africa.
In Kenya, 27-year-old Moses Kimani works as a marketing manager for Hanlin (Africa), a new energy company from China. Speaking of his company's electric motorcycle product "boda-boda", Kimani praised it highly. "The starting speed and acceleration performance of Chinese electric motorcycles are very strong, and they are not inferior to fuel motorcycles at all. It is very suitable for our environment, and it is both flexible and efficient."
This is an electric motorcycle provided by China Tailing Group photographed in Nairobi, Kenya on March 2, 2021. Xinhua News Agency (Photo by Joy Nabukwa)In a huge warehouse on the outskirts of Nairobi, the team of electric motorcycle startup ARC Ride is busy processing hundreds of electric motorcycles and parts delivered from China. The company's research and development, assembly and sales are all in Kenya, but the main parts are still imported from China.
Kenya has the largest motorcycle taxi market in Africa, with about 5.2 million people engaged in motorcycle transportation services. There is a local saying that one in 10 Kenyans makes a living by riding a motorcycle. With the rise in fuel prices in recent years, the current operating cost per kilometer of an electric motorcycle is only one-tenth of that of a fuel motorcycle. If a motorcycle taxi rider uses an electric motorcycle, he or she can save the purchase price in about a year.
Data shows that by 2027, the African electric motorcycle market is expected to grow to US$5.07 billion, becoming the leading industry in the local sustainable transportation transformation. The growing market prospects have led many African companies to actively cooperate with Chinese companies to produce and sell electric motorcycles.
From an environmental perspective, electric motorcycles are in line with the current trend of many African countries encouraging electric travel. Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Benin, Rwanda and other countries have introduced policies to encourage electric travel, providing a friendly environment for the promotion of electric motorcycles. Joyce Msuya, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, said: "The increasing popularity of electric motorcycles in African countries will help reduce air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and create more jobs."
From the motorcycle manufacturing industry chain to batteries and electrification technology, Chinese companies' high-quality and low-cost products and solid technical experience, in line with the actual needs of local companies and Africa's green transformation trend, are accelerating the arrival of the "electric era" of African motorcycles.
