A bodaboda guy in an electric motorcycle
In the humming streets of Nairobi, where motorcycle taxis are the lifeblood of the transport system, a quiet transition is underway.
Petrol-powered boda bodas are steadily giving way to electric motorcycles; a change driven not just by cost concerns, but also by a growing awareness of environmental and health issues.
Air pollution remains one of Nairobi’s most persistent challenges. According to city health authorities, traffic emissions contribute significantly to the city’s poor air quality.
Recognising this, several organisations, including the Clean Air Fund, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the Nairobi City County Government, have launched initiatives aimed at reducing emissions and improving public health.
In line with the global push for clean energy and sustainable mobility, these efforts are supporting a transition to electric motorcycles as one way to meet Nairobi’s clean air goals.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has also rolled out projects in Kenya focused on accelerating the adoption of electric two- and three-wheelers, noting their potential to drastically cut emissions in urban areas.
Ephantas Wachira Mwangi has spent nearly a decade riding a boda boda around Jogoo Road in Nairobi.
His early years in the business were defined by the daily frustrations of working with a petrol-powered motorcycle.
He recalls how often the engine would break down, requiring costly repairs that made it difficult to save any money. The roar of the engine also attracted the wrong kind of attention.
“Customers would complain about the vibration from the seat. Sometimes pedestrians or businesspeople would shout at me, saying I was making too much noise,” Wachira said.
He often felt discouraged, as if his work amounted to little more than paying for fuel and repairs. With each passing month, the hope he once had in the business began to fade. T
hat changed when an electric vehicle company held a roadshow along Jogoo Road. Intrigued, he listened to what they had to offer and decided to switch to an electric motorcycle.
“It was the best decision I ever made,” he said.
Since making the switch, Wachira says he has seen a complete turnaround in his income and quality of life.
On a good day, he now earns up to Sh3,000, nearly three times more than he did with his old petrol bike.
The maintenance costs have drastically reduced as well. While he used to visit the garage frequently, now he can go as long as three months without needing any repairs.
The bike uses a battery. It’s friendlier to the engine. I don’t have to worry about oil leaks or overheating,” he explained.
Wachira has also seen an increase in the number of customers he serves. The bike runs silently, a nd this lack of noise has turned into a selling point.
“People prefer a quiet ride. It gives them peace of mind. For me, it’s peaceful too. I no longer get insulted in the streets,” he added.
Just a few miles away, Peter Maina from Githurai shares a similar story.
He has been using an electric motorcycle for over a year. Like Wachira, his days on a petrol-powered bike were defined by stress, low profits, and frequent visits to the mechanic.
“Some days I would make around Sh800, but it would all go into repairs,” Maina recalled.
After making the switch, Maina is now able to earn as much as Sh2,200 in profit daily, even after paying off a loan for the electric bike.
He pays Sh641 each day toward the loan, but the earnings still leave him with enough money to support his family.
He noted that the cost of running an electric motorcycle is significantly lower. Charging his bike costs him only about Sh200 a day, a sharp contrast to the high fuel expenses he used to face.
“Sometimes, I only use Sh60 worth of charge to travel up to 80 kilometers,” he said.
Maina’s electric motorcycle comes with features he never imagined owning. The bike is GPS-trackable through his phone, providing an extra layer of security in a city where motorcycle theft is a real concern.
And because the bike was offered as part of a financing plan, it came bundled with both health insurance and motorcycle insurance.
Still, he acknowledged that the shift is not without challenges. The initial purchase price is high, and this limits access for many who do not wish to take out a loan.
Additionally, riders are concerned about the availability of charging stations on longer routes. While networks are growing, they still lag behind the widespread presence of petrol stations.
“I’m lucky I have two batteries, but not everyone can afford that,” he said.
Despite the obstacles, the adoption of electric motorcycles in Kenya is growing at a notable pace.
According to data from the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA), electric motorcycle registrations rose from just 366 in 2022 to 2,557 in 2023.
In 2024, the number reached 4,862, bringing the electric motorcycle market share to 7.1 per cent of all new motorcycle sales, up from 3.6 per cent the previous year.
This momentum is further underscored by Kenya’s broader e-mobility trajectory.
The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) projects that by 2030, the country will have at least 60,000 electric motorcycles on its roads.
Already, the national electric vehicle fleet is nearing 9,000 units, most of them two-wheelers.
Behind these numbers are thousands of riders, just like Wachira and Maina, who are finding new hope in a sector long plagued by unpredictability.
The boda boda industry is a major pillar of Kenya’s informal economy, employing over 1.2 million people and facilitating the daily transport of goods and commuters across urban and rural areas.
Yet the costs associated with petrol-powered motorcycles have increasingly squeezed riders.
In addition to erratic fuel prices, they must deal with frequent mechanical breakdowns and the health toll of long exposure to fumes and noise.
These conditions have made the sector unsustainable for many, with some abandoning the trade altogether.
“Electric motorcycles offer a cleaner alternative to traditional petrol-powered bikes. They lower operational costs, reduce air pollution in cities, and support a more sustainable future,” said Habib Lukaya, the Regional Sales Operations Manager at Roam, a Nairobi-based electric vehicle company.
Lukaya noted that Roam’s mission goes beyond profit, saying it’s about long-term social and environmental impact.
“The transition is a significant step in promoting cleaner mobility across Kenya. It’s not just about affordability. It’s about long-term impact,” he said.
To encourage uptake, Roam and other companies are offering financing plans that allow riders to pay in daily or monthly installments. Even so, access to affordable credit remains a major barrier.
Financing isn’t just important for companies. It’s essential for end users, the riders who want to make the shift but can’t afford the upfront cost,” Lukaya said.
Other players like Ampersand and Spiro are helping to bridge the infrastructure gap.
Ampersand operates seven battery-swapping stations in Nairobi, allowing riders to switch out depleted batteries for charged ones within minutes.
These stations offer an average range of 90 to 110 kilometers per swap, at a cost slightly below traditional fuel expense.
Spiro has deployed over 18,000 electric motorcycles in Kenya as of February 2025.
Its battery-swapping network has supported more than 11 million swaps, covering a combined distance of over 428 million kilometres, completely emission-free.
Even as adoption grows, the overall motorcycle market in Kenya has seen a significant slowdown.
In the nine months ending September 2023, motorcycle imports dropped by 77.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, falling from 285,459 units to just 64,041.
Analysts attribute this partly to increased taxation and tough economic conditions, but also to the rising appeal of locally assembled electric motorcycles.
Still, the shift to electric is not happening fast enough for many climate and health advocates.
With motorcycles contributing significantly to urban emissions, accelerating their replacement with clean energy alternatives is seen as a key strategy in addressing Nairobi’s air pollution crisis.
According to UNEP, electric motorcycles can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 90 per cent compared to petrol-powered bikes when charged from renewable sources.
The human stories behind this transition are where the impact is most felt. For riders, the change has not only increased their earnings but also improved their quality of life.
They breathe cleaner air, enjoy quieter rides, and feel respected in a way that wasn’t possible before.
“I used to feel invisible. Now, people notice me in a good way,” Wachira said, smiling.
The shift has been more than a business move for riders. It has restored confidence, improved their health, and elevated their status in their communities.
For Kenya, the wider adoption of electric motorcycles signals a cleaner, quieter, and more sustainable future.
