Comments Off on Rising fuel prices accelerating e-motorcycle sales in Kenya
Source: Africa NewsImage credit: Nathanael Desmeules, Unsplash
The conflict in the Middle East has caused fuel prices to surge globally, driving an increase in sales for electric motorcycles in Pakistan, and more recently, it has been reported that thousands of riders in Kenya are switching to electric two-wheelers.
It has been estimated that in recent months, the sales of electric motorcycles in Kenya has increased by over 40%. The motorcycle market in Kenya is huge, with many citizens depending on the two-wheeled vehicles for their livelihood, to work as delivery drivers or motorcycle taxi drivers.
With rising fuel costs becoming increasingly evident, the beneficial savings of switching to an electric version have become the obvious choice to many riders, leading them to save thousands of Kenyan shillings each week, thanks to lower operating costs. There are also quick battery-swapping systems in Kenya, which optimise easy and convenient usage for drivers.
Industry manufacturers have been responding to the rapid demand rates by increasing their production, with one Nairobi facility reportedly producing hundreds of motorcycles each day.
Benefits of electric mobility in Kenya
As well as offering greater affordability, the transition to electric transportation gives Kenya improved energy security, showing the benefits of using its own domestic energy resources.
In contrast to petrol, which is imported, 93% of Kenya’s electricity is from local renewable energy sources, which includes geothermal, hydroelectric, solar and wind power.
Electric motorcycle growth in Africa
The shift to electric mobility is greater in Africa in countries and regions where motorcycles are used as essential vehicles for work purposes, rather than recreational use.
Government assistance is also helping drive growth; for example, Rwanda has restricted the use of non-electric motorcycles in areas of its capital, and in Uganda, the government is encouraging a rapid shift to electric two-wheelers.
The Ukrainian Defense Ministry has announced that it has codified and approved a new electric motorcycle for military use, which is capable of carrying two soldiers with full gear across challenging terrain, and operates almost silently and with minimal thermal signature.
The Wolfstorm electric motorcycle is domestically produced, with key specifications of 105 kg overall weight, an 8 kW mid-drive motor, top speeds of up to 80 km/h, a range of approximately 100 km, and carrying capacity of up to 200 kg. A modular battery system allows for swift change-over in the field, and full recharging is achievable in around four hours. A reverse gear enables enhanced manoeverability in restricted spaces.
The Defense Ministry has indicated that the motorcycles can be used in scenarios such as cargo delivery, reconnaissance, casualty evacuation, patrol, facility security and more. They have also highlighted various advantages of electric motorcycles compared to ICE models, including lower operating costs, reduced maintenance requirements, near-silent operation, and a minimal thermal signature which helps avoid detection.
Although Brazil’s electric motorcycle market is still far from seeing mass adoption, it has experienced record figures in 2025, and in 2026, its year-to-date April sales have increased 33.9% from the same period last year. It is evident that these promising figures have been aided by the government’s green strategy, encouraging electric mobility.
The government’s green mobility programme, MOVER, was launched in 2024, providing significant tax incentives and fiscal support for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure. Multiple regions (including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Minas Gerais) also added to these measures with IPVA tax exemptions, favourable electricity tariffs, as well as urban access and parking benefits.
In 2025, the market experienced record sales with a 145% year-on-year increase to over 22,000 units. Meanwhile, the start of 2026, has also been reported as positive, with its year-to-date April sales reaching 7,502 units, an increase of 33.9% from the same period last year.
This growing popularity of e-motorcycles in Brazil has resulted in new manufacturers (mainly from China) investing in the region.
The motorcycle industry context in Brazil
Brazil’s motorcycle market is considered one of the fastest growing worldwide since Covid-19, with an appearance in the top 10 worldwide, shaped by the common use of bioethanol.
Although the government has launched its strategy to drive electric mobility as a key initiative, which has resulted in considerable growth for electric motorcycles, the adoption figures remain a limited proportion of the overall total motorcycle sales of 2.2 million units in 2025.
Potentials and barriers for electric motorcycle adoption
Brazil has around 90% renewable energy, which gives it a strong structural advantage for driving electrification.
The following barriers also need to be addressed to improve the encouragement of electric motorcycle adoption:
E-motorcycles have significant price premium over non-electric models
Many electric models offer limited range for longer commuting or delivery use applications which are significant needs for urban motorcyclists
Charging infrastructure is underdeveloped and has an uneven distribution, with public charging centres only present in a few large cities.
Development towards electrification in Japan’s motorcycle production sector is gaining momentum, with a number of global brands showing serious intention in growing the market and its various segments.
The challenges of transitioning to electric motorcycles are well known – high battery costs, design challenges around the accommodation of large battery packs, and charging infrastructure gaps are all familiar headaches to those in the industry.
Japan’s well-established manufacturers are, however, moving towards electrification in increments, having started with mopeds, commuters and smaller urban models, before scaling up to larger products.
Yamaha Motor President, Motofumi Shitara, earlier this year said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that electrification would become mainstream in the industry’s final goal for achieving carbon neutrality.” The company has released multiple electric moped models in Asia and Europe, with battery-swapping a key feature. It has stated a goal of having electric motorcycles represent 30% of new model line-ups in the next few years.
Honda has also introduced multiple electric moped models for Asian markets, with its battery-swapping technology underpinning its own range and those of Yamaha. Beyond smaller models, they also have a full-size, electric commuter product in production, demonstrating ambitions beyond last-mile mobility. The company has also announced plans for a dedicated electric motorcycle factory in India, and has spoken of aims to significantly increase electric models’ share in its overall sales by 2030.
Kawasaki, which has long been associated with high-performance ICE sports models, introduced two smaller, commuter-focused models in 2023.
Suzuki has showcased various electric concepts, and is working on diversification of its low-carbon portfolio as it explores where electric two-wheeled mobility will gain traction.
Drawing on data from Asia-focused mobility industry data reports, and removing China from the equation, it can be seen that the worldwide electric moped market is composed of a set of regional markets with differing trajectories which are shaped by policy, infrastructure, cost considerations, and urban density.
India has the largest electric moped and motorcycle sector beyond China, with annual electric two-wheeler sales surpassing 1.5 million units, and electric mopeds representing over 90% of the volume. Incentives at both national and state levels are a key factor in the growth of the sector, alongside sustained high fuel prices which make electric mobility options the preferable option for many. Considering the whole two-wheeler market in the country, however, electric models remain at less than 10% of the total market.
Vietnam has a smaller market but strong potential. Sales of electric moped and low-speed electric motorcycles are estimated at between 200,000-350,000 units, in a country that has a very high motorcycle density. There is considerable government pressure to reduce urban emissions, opening the door to electric options.
Indonesia represents a long-term opportunity for electric two-wheelers. Annual sales are estimated at between 200,000-400,000, with volume varying depending on availability of subsidies, and fleet demand. Currently, growth is being led by fleet operators in the ride-hailing sector, rather than private ownership, in contrast to India and Vietnam.
Taiwain sees annual electric moped sales between 70-000-100,000 units, and a high penetration rate, with a dense battery-swapping network alleviating range anxiety.
Europe presents a fragmented but expanding picture of the market, with combined annual electric moped and motorcycle sales between 400,000-600,000 across key countries including France, Italy and Spain. Demand is rising as cities introduce more stringent emissions regulations.
South Korea represents a smaller market, with annual electric moped and motorcycle sales between 20,000-40,000 units. There are more limited incentives and a lower reliance on two-wheelers for daily transport, though delivery fleets are a key area of deployment.
An outlier is the Philippines, which has a small number of electric two-wheelers, but a large volume of e-trikes, which are utility vehicles used primarily for short-distance public transport.
The Delhi government in India has drafted its EV Policy 2.0 to boost electric mobility adoption, to drastically reduce pollution in the region. Currently under consideration, the policy plans to ban new registrations of petrol, diesel and CNG-fueled two wheelers.
With two-wheelers accounting for almost two-thirds of total vehicles on Delhi’s roads, the government has stated that if it could focus on electrifying two-wheelers, then pollution rates would decrease significantly.
If approved, the ban of two-wheelers emitting emissions in Delhi will reportedly be actioned by August 15 2026. This move would mean that only new electric two-wheelers will be allowed to register in the region, which could prompt a significant boost of them on Delhi roads. With petrol-powered mopeds and motorcycles currently accounting for the majority of two-wheeler sales in Delhi, this would be a big transition for the two-wheeler sector.
Delhi’s proposed EV Policy 2.0 benefits for electric two-wheeler customers
The government’s proposed policy will also offer subsidies of up to 30,000 Indian rupees (€269) on electric two-wheeler purchases based on battery capacity, as well as road tax exemptions, registration fee waivers and incentives for scrapping non-electric two-wheelers.
“The Delhi EV policy draft also includes plans to develop charging infrastructure and battery recycling plants,” said officials.
Silence, a brand of LEVA-EU member Acciona, recently demonstrated its light electric vehicle solutions at the Madrid X Moto show, where it carried out over 60 test rides of its electric motorcycles and nanocar.
The Spanish brand was delighted with the high number of visitors at the Madrid X Moto 2026 show, which had over 18,000 attendees from April 10-12.
It welcomed many motorcycle enthusiasts to its booth to learn about its electric urban mobility offering, with 60 test drives being carried out on its e-motorcycles and the S04 electric nanocar, which attracted a lot of attention at the dedicated motorcycle event.
The UK’s plug-in motorcycle grant (PiMG), which has supported over 15,000 purchases in the region, recently expired on April 5. The UK’s Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) is urging the government to reactivate and broaden it, after WPI Economics forecasted a £50 million loss to the market by 2030 without the grant.
The PiMG purchasing incentive was first launched in 2016, initially offering £1,500 (€1,721) on road-registered battery bikes or a 20% discount (whichever amount was smallest at the point of sale). Then the incentive value decreased to a 35% discount of a maximum value of £500 (€573) for electric motorcycles priced at £10,000 (€11,476) and below.
And more recently, since April 5 2026, there has been no financial incentive available, highlighting that mopeds and motorcycles are the only individual transport modes without zero-emission subsidies in the UK.
Having supported the purchases of over 15,000 electric motorcycles, the UK motorcycle industry is concerned that the end of the grant will negatively affect the amount of new e-motorcycle customers.
Effects of the PiMG grant on electric two-wheeler registrations
The MCIA’s CEO Tony Campbell has highlighted the link between previous changes to the PiMG policy and its impact on new electric two wheeler registrations.
After the grant amount was reduced in 2023, e-motorcycle registrations reduced by 38.6%. Then, when the grant excluded support for electric moped purchases, registrations decreased by another 39.2%.
For the first two months of 2026, the MICA revealed that just 250 electric motorcycles were registered in the UK, a decrease from 299 in 2025. With the absence of the subsidy, it looks likely that numbers will keep declining.
Campbell said the following about the correlation of the grant and electric motorcycle uptake.
“These numbers show the market responds immediately when support is withdrawn. Without action, we risk a sharp drop in uptake just as the transition to low- and zero-emission transport should be accelerating.”
Industry predictions if the grant is not extended
To anticipate a reality without the grant, the MCIA commissioned WPI Economics to forecast predictions about how much the adoption of zero-emission two-wheelers could slow down with the absence of the PiMG.
The WPI predicted that it could result in around 6,500 fewer e-motorcycles being sold by the end of the decade, which is the equivalent to the market losing 2 and a half years of current growth, eliminating as much as £50 million from the sector.
Campbell emphasises his concerns for the industry as he acknowledges the contrast in funding for e-motorcycles and the heavier electric car.
“The expiry of the Plug-in Motorcycle Grant represents a clear policy cliff edge. At a time when government is investing heavily in the transition to electric cars, it makes little sense for smaller, more energy-efficient vehicles to be left without any form of support.”
The lack of financial assistance for two-wheelers could drive more individuals and businesses to opt for larger combustion vehicles, increasing urban congestion and emissions. A possible consequence could also be road safety concerns from a potential rise in high-speed, illegally modified e-bikes.
Urging the government for assistance
The MCIA has led a coalition of manufacturers, dealers, logistics operators and road safety organisations to urge the government to avoid an “avoidable policy shock”. The coalition has written a letter to ministers at the HM Treasury, the Department for Transport, and the Department for Business and Trade.
The letter asks the UK government to:
Extend the PiMG for at least 12 months
Evaluate the £10,000 price cap to better reflect current market realities
Reintroduce mopeds and extend eligibility with the inclusion of L6 and L7 light electric vehicles
Industry stakeholders emphasise that even a short-term extension would help to stabilise the market as a longer-term policy framework is developed.
The Executive Director of the National Motorcyclists Council, Craig Carey-Clinch, states that with the current policy imbalance, there is a risk of undercutting the UK’s broader decarbonisation effort. “Consumers will need support whether they are in a car or on two wheels. The plug-in motorcycle grant remains one of the few meaningful incentives encouraging riders to switch to zero-emission vehicles.”
What’s next?
Tony Campbell had explained that in March, the MCIA had meetings with a sub-department of DfT, the OZEF (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles), and plans to put together a thorough 360 plan ahead of the Autumn budget to clarify how the electric motorcycle sector can be incentivised.
When recently asked by media outlet Motorcycle News about extending the grant, a spokesperson for the Department for Transport (DfT) said the following: “This grant supported over 15,000 riders to switch to electric, but we need to focus funding on vehicles that have the highest impact to our environment.”
Motorcycles are considered a key pillar in the African urban mobility sector, with millions being used as taxi vehicles. In recent years, the market has become increasingly electrified, thanks to lower costs and several start-ups in the region offering convenient offerings for motorcycle taxi drivers.
Many taxi drivers in the region have transitioned to using electric motorcycles due to them requiring less maintenance, lower operating costs (approximately 30–40% less), and playing a role in reducing urban pollution. Riders who have switched to electric versions have reportedly managed to increase their daily earnings, as they no longer have to spend a large amount of their income on petrol and repairs, as they had with their previous ICE models.
African start-ups electrifying motorcycle taxis
There has been an emergence of African start-ups aspiring to supply this market by innovating their own electric motorcycles, especially for taxi drivers and delivery fleets, with many integrating battery-swap infrastructure, direct fleet management and financing solutions into their vehicle offerings.
E-motorcycle adoption by region
Although e-motorcycle start-ups are emerging all over the continent, the epicentre of motorcycle electrification is East Africa, especially the countries of Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, where there are millions of motorcycle taxis in daily operation. For example, in Kenya, e-motorcycles are experiencing rapid growth rates with a 15.3% market share recently reported, demonstrating how quickly the market is expanding.
As motorcycle taxi riders travel large distances and depend on their bikes for income, they are very sensitive to fuel costs, which makes electric motorcycle adoption economically more attractive, as well as convenient with battery-swap networks and flexible financing models.
It has been anticipated that although Africa’s electric motorcycle industry is still fairly new, its potential for growth is significant. As there are already millions of users and many e-motorbike start-ups all over the continent, increasing usage could reshape urban mobility and decrease fuel dependence in the region. Global manufacturers may also look to capitalise on supplying this promising market in the next decade.
