Electric motorcycle riders in Kenya demand more flexible battery networks

For weeks, popular Kenyan podcaster and radio presenter Francis Kibe Njeri has used his social media platforms to spotlight a problem he says many electric motorcycle riders face but few companies in the industry acknowledge: batteries unable to be swapped across networks and motorcycles that can be remotely disabled after periods of inactivity. Electric motorcycles, also known as electric mobility bikes or e-bikes, are gaining ground throughout Africa, led by companies such as Ampersand, ARC Ride and Roam. The continent’s largest e-bike firm, Spiro, operates more than 1,200 battery charging and swap stations and has deployed about 60,000 electric motorcyles, according to its most recent public filing in late 2024.