With the opening of an e-bike battery charging facility in Kampala, electric motorcyclists now enjoy greater efficiency and convenience.
On December 11, 2024, the first electric bike battery-swapping station was opened in Kampala’s central business area by the energy ministry in partnership with Spiro Uganda.
Burman Kaushik, chief executive director of Spiro, said that riders are saving at least 30% on expenses, which helps them improve their family’s quality of life by using cleaner motorcycles with lower emissions.
He stated, “As we continue to roll out battery stations, we are going to set up the infrastructure, introducing fast battery stations which will add over and above the battery swapping network.”
He stated that they intend to set up an assembly facility in Uganda, where they would start assembling bikes, motors, and batteries on a large scale as demand grows over time.
“We have already started Spiro Academy in Uganda, where we have training modules to improve the skills of the local community and upskill them,” Kaushik continued.
Eng. Simon Kalanzi, the energy efficiency and conservation commissioner for the energy ministry, thanked Spiro for its participation in the electric mobility space, highlighting that their main goal is to create an effective national transportation system.
“We are going to make sure that we have electric bike swapping and possibly fast charging stations alongside in every location where we intend to install the electric vehicle charging stations,” he stated.
He conveyed his appreciation to Spiro for his backing of their endeavors to establish a robust economy.
“We intend to ensure that we have 100% electric bikes on the market, so your particular model of bike should be cost-effective. You should have a system in which people can be in a position to acquire the electric bikes cheaply or a higher purchase system that is affordable,” he continued.
Additionally, he stated that the ministry is working on a comprehensive master plan to improve electric mobility in the nation, which should be finished this year.
The electric mobility trend is quickly gaining traction worldwide, according to Bruce Mucunguzi, head of marketing at Spiro Uganda. He noted that trains in several nations are now electric, doing away with the need for fuel.
“Uganda has a chance; the technology is already here, and if we use it globally, we can quickly and environmentally improve our nation.” Our economy will be greener and we will emit less emissions into the atmosphere,” he said.
