Uber, the ride-hailing firm, launched an electric motorbike service, Electric Boda in Kenya, its first in Africa.
In their bid to protect the environment and provide eco-friendly products, Electric Boda will also be launched later this year in Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Uganda, Tanzania and South Africa- Kagiso Khaole, Uber’s general manager for sub-Saharan Africa mentioned.
This initiative will be beneficial as users of the platform will pay 15-20% less than they do for their usual Uber motorbike trip. Drivers will also see a 30-35% drop in their operating costs.
According to Daily Maverick, the growth of the electric vehicles market in Africa has been slowed by a lack of adequate electric charging infrastructure and associated equipment. Sensing an opportunity, local firms have been setting up battery-swapping stations in major cities like Nairobi to save drivers time.
Kenya’s President William Ruto said last month that he wanted to see the number of electric motorbikes on the road increase from the current 2,000 to more than 200,000 by the end of 2024.
Motorbike transport is a big employer in Kenya, absorbing millions of people who are unable to secure formal jobs.
