Tanzania riders see fortune in electric motorcycles

DAR ES SALAAM: MOTORCYCLE taxi riders (bodaboda) in Tanzanian urban centres have welcomed the arrival of electric motorcycles introduced to the country by SPIRO, saying they will help them earn more profit compared to fuel-powered bikes.

This was said by the chairman of the motorcycle taxi association, Mr Michael Masawe, in Dar es Salaam recently during a demonstration and test ride of the environmentally friendly motorcycles, which produce no smoke or noise.

“We are excited to receive these electric motorcycles because we have long wished for them. We started with gas-powered tricycles (bajaj) and succeeded, and now these electric motorcycles will greatly help us generate more income,” said Mr Masawe.

Mr Masawe added that in line with the government’s efforts to combat environmental degradation, the arrival of these motorcycles is a timely solution as they are eco-friendly and have low operating costs for users.

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Speaking about the comparison between fuel and electric motorcycles, he said a fuel-powered motorcycle can travel about 40 kilometres per litre, while a fully charged electric motorcycle can travel between 100 to 120 kilometres.

Mr Masawe also mentioned that their association collaborates with banks in the country, which assist riders in securing loans to purchase motorcycles. He believes that with this continued collaboration and agreements, many riders can acquire these electric motorcycles.

On his part, SPIRO Sales Officer, Mr Ismail Hincha, said the motorcycles offer greater protection for riders because they are equipped with a 100 per cent secure GPS that allows them to track and recover the motorcycle if stolen, without the rider incurring any cost.

“If a rider’s motorcycle is stolen, all they need to do is contact our office, and we will track and recover the motorcycle at no cost to the rider,” said Mr Hincha.

Mr Hincha added that the motorcycles come with a 95 per cent warranty and long-lasting battery quality.

He added that through their battery-swapping stations, when a rider’s battery runs out of power, they can exchange it for a fully charged one and said that if a battery becomes ineffective, it is removed from circulation, so riders don’t bear the cost of buying new batteries.

Mr Hicha said that SPIRO is already in talks with some fuel stations to set up battery-swapping stations, giving users peace of mind, and they are confident that by the end of the year, they will have enough stations in place to meet user needs.