Tag Archive: kenya

  1. Rising fuel prices accelerating e-motorcycle sales in Kenya

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    Source: Africa News Image 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.

  2. Electric motorcycles take 15.3% market share in Kenya in 2025

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    Source: Clean Technica Image credit: Clean Technica / Remeredzai

    Many countries in Africa have a strong motorcycle market, thanks to their widespread deployment as taxis. Although new registrations are mainly ICE models, the electric motorcycle is rapidly gaining ground, and recent figures show that their market share in Kenya leapt forward substantially in 2025.

    Following a breakthrough year in 2024, where the market share of electric motorcycles raced past the 5% tipping point to 7.1%, the rise has more than doubled to 15.3% in 2025, with 25,277 electric motorcycles registered in the country, out of a total market of 168,286. This is according to figures published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) and the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya (EMAK).

    There has been a steady upward trend in the country for electric two-wheeler adoption. It’s reported that 8 years ago, only 44 electric motorcycles were registered in the country; in 2023 a total of 2,557 electric models were registered out of a total market of 70,691 motorcycles – a share of 3.6%.

    The electric two-wheeler taxis are becoming a familiar sight on Kenya’s city streets, with several operators fielding a range of models, as can be seen in this short video. Their popularity and swift adoption comes against a backdrop of a general drive to reduce emissions; 90% Kenya’s power generation comes from renewable sources. With the right purchasing incentives in place and support for companies and operators in the electric motorcycle sector, the potential is substantial.

  3. Electric motorcycle sales in Kenya account for almost 10% of market share in 2025

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    Source: Clean Technica

    A report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows that, for the period from January-August 2025, over 9,300 electric motorcycles were sold in the country, representing 9.6% of the total purchased, a substantial increase on the 7.1% recorded in the whole of 2024.

    Motorcycle sales in Kenya are partly driven by the country’s motorcycle taxi industry, and the electric-powered portion of the market was a few years ago comprised of ICE conversions created in Nairobi’s industrial district.

    The country’s motorcycle taxi operators and riders have begun to look more favourably on electric models, thanks to their lower total cost of ownership. This increasing popularity is also being boosted by electric motorcycle-friendly asset financing options; for instance, asset finance company Watu has published 2025 targets of financing 2,000 electric motorcycles in Kenya – a hefty 41% of its total target of 4,850 motorcycles financed.

    Following a period of instability for Kenya’s motorcycle sector in the post-pandemic years, the industry is reported to be bouncing back, with electric motorcycle brands being a key part of this.

    Electric motorcycle charging could also help to balance out some of Kenya’s key energy sector challenges. There has generally been low uptake of available geothermal capacity during overnight off-peak hours, leading to energy curtailment at geothermal plants. The overnight charging of electric motorcycles could present better utilisation of resources.