“Whenever I see my colleagues asking passengers to first get off the bikes so they can turn them upside down, I want to laugh, but I remember I have been there too,” he tells me.
The other unusual thing is that it makes no sound and, as you rightly guessed, no smoke, unlike the other petrol-consuming alternatives on the market.
After giving Mike Shs5k note, he breezed away before I could even pocket the change. By the time I looked back to give him a tip, he had turned a corner in the Industrial area.
The third unusual thing about the electric boda-bodas is the entertainment value. The battery pack also has an in-built Bluetooth speaker on which a passenger can connect and play Amapiano or Kadongo Kamu, if that is your thing. You can even charge your phone while at it, especially you iPhone people who never seem to have battery. The comfort and aura are things you need to experience yourself.
I have to admit I was worried about the battery life, but Mike assured me that there are over 20 battery swapping and charging points in Kampala powered by a start-up called Zembo. He often uses one on Ghaddafi Road just after the traffic lights on Hamu Shopping Centre.
“On one battery, I can ride 7 hours, about 80 kilometres. For a fully charged battery, Zembo charges Ushs3,100 (USD$0.8) and half the amount for a half-charged battery,” he explains.
Profitability
Away from all the pomp and glamour, “Do you make money?” I asked? Mike gave me the mathematics. When he was riding a petrol consuming boda-boda, he was taking home almost 30% less of what he makes today.
“If you want to invest in boda-bodas, I strongly advise you not to choose the petrol ones. There are fewer mechanical problems with these electric bikes. Since I got this bike in October 2019, I have only been to the garage about four times,” he added.
As Mike notes, the only problem is that most of the spare parts are imported instead of being manufactured here. Had they been made here, the costs of acquiring an electric motorcycle would be lower and the benefits higher than they already are.
Sustainability
Zembo founders Daniel Dreher and Etienne Saint-Serin have a grand vision to improve incomes for Uganda’s boda-boda riders while cutting air pollution. Through various partnerships and grants, they are raising funds to scale their production in Uganda and increase their footprint in rural areas, especially.
Earlier this year, Zembo, in partnership with GIZ under the Promotion of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Programme (PREEEP), launched battery charging and swapping points along the Masaka Highway to increase the ease of access to riders using electric boda-bodas along the Masaka Corridor.
As of May 2022, they have more than 250 electric motorcycles in Uganda, and plans are underway to increase local production of essential parts to reduce importation, thus making the bikes more affordable for local riders.
This, according to David Rupiny, the Media Relations Manager at Uganda Investment Authority (UIA), will not only create more jobs for Ugandans but will save the environment from a heavy burden created by the carbon emissions associated with fossil fuels.
“We estimate that boda-bodas conduct about 40% of the trips in Kampala. Upcountry, it is higher than 70%. Their affordability and navigation notwithstanding, boda-bodas are huge emitters of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas detrimental to the environment. I am happy that Ugandans have warmed up these electric bikes,” Rupiny said.
You should check out the New Electric boda-boda @gozembo that launched today in Kampala. Music playing is from the phone connected to the inbuilt bluetooth speaker on the bike and also has a charging port. Too cool 🙌🏽 #NoFuel #NoOil #NoFumes pic.twitter.com/9sS9ipDjk4
— Carol K Ndilima (@CarolKNdilima) October 22, 2019
Globally, the transport sector contributes 30% of greenhouse gas emissions and e-mobility innovations and players such as Kiira Motors, the makers of Kayoola EV buses, and Zembo, which makes electric boda-bodas are courted to reduce emissions and improve the quality of air in urban areas.
Recent findings by AirQo, in partnership with the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), revealed that the air pollution in all of Kampala’s five Divisions was ten times higher than World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations. As a result, NEMA’s Executive Director, Dr. Akankwasah Barirega, plotted a correlation with respiratory diseases that are also on a sharp increase.
One of the ways you can contribute to cleaner air in Kampala is using electric boda-bodas so that their counterparts who are biased towards fossil fuels can see an incentive to switch to cleaner alternatives. That way, Zembo will generate enough revenue to scale its innovation to other cities across the country.