Last year, Uber officially launched its first electric mobility product in Kenya with the rollout of electric bikes also known as “Electric Boda”.
After the first year of launch, Uber has reported a significant growth of its EV bikes in the city of Nairobi.
By The Numbers
Uber says its Electric Boda has seen an 81% increase in active driver sign-ups, for whom the product was launched to provide savings in total ownership costs from 30%-35%, with fuel being the most significant cost.
The affordability of the product for Nairobi residents has led to a 94% increase in trips since its launch in August 2023.
What They’re Saying
“Kenya is a great launching pad for innovation and the successful launch of Uber Electric Boda is testament to this. The introduction of Electric Boda on the platform has given drivers an additional avenue through which to access increased earnings.
Furthermore, it remains a top priority for us to continue doing our part to aid the transition to eco-friendly mobility products and support the country’s national sustainability objectives,” said Imran Manji, Head of East Africa, Uber.
Nabil Anjarwalla, Chief Executive Officer, Greenwheels, said, “We are proud to mark this milestone in powering Kenya’s transition to green mobility in collaboration with Uber. In our first year, we’ve already carried over 700K passengers and travelled more than 12 million kilometres on electric motorcycles, and there’s more yet to come!
As we continue to scale, we’re committed to the reduction in carbon emissions, providing formal employment and stable income to motorcycle drivers, and contributing to helping Nairobians move around the city in a safe, convenient way.”
The Big Picture
Electric Boda has been made available in the country at a time when the Kenyan government is implementing the National Electric Mobility Policy, which focuses on creating a greener transportation system and rolling out diverse initiatives for sustainable road traffic management.
According to the World Bank, the boda boda sector in Kenya employs over 1.5 million young people and contributes approximately Kshs. 202 billion to the economy annually.
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