Uganda’s electric motorcycle production jumps 139%

From the newsletter

The number of electric motorcycles produced in Uganda grew by 139% to 2,795 units in 2024, according to a new report by the state-run Science, Technology and Innovation secretariat. Since local assembly of electric motorcycles began in the country in 2019, 4,254 motorcycles have been produced. The leading assemblers are Gogo Electric, Zembo, Spiro and Redvers.     

• Spiro is planning to build an assembly plant with a capacity of 50,000 units per year in Uganda, while Zembo and Gogo Electric have been raising capital to increase their production capabilities. 

• Besides electric motorcycles, Uganda also recorded a major increase across all EV categories, including bicycles, passenger cars and buses in 2024. This makes it one of the fastest growing EV markets in the region. 

More details

• The report shows that 40% of the components used to make electric motorcycles in Uganda are sourced locally, the highest of any EV category. The main components that are imported are motors and batteries. For buses, the proportion of local content stands at 21%.

• Uganda is gradually building capacity to produce lithium-ion battery packs, auxiliary batteries, tyres and tubes, oil and fuel filters, air cleaners, fasteners, wipers, side mirrors, electronics, wiring harnesses, lubricants and automotive paints to serve its growing EV assembly industry.

• While a smaller market compared to electric motorcycles, electric bicycle production in Uganda is also growing. It started in 2023 with 25 units produced by a local startup named Karaa before growing over 17-fold to 440 units produced in 2024 by Karaa, eBee and Harakka.

• Local assembly of lithium-ion batteries is also gaining traction, mainly driven by the increased demand for electric motorcycles. According to the report, Uganda had a combined installed production capacity of 0.12GWh of lithium-ion battery packs in 2024. The main assemblers of battery packs are Gogo Electric, Soleil Power and Zembo, mostly serving the electric motorcycle segment and other battery energy storage systems.

• Overall, the number of electric and hybrid vehicles in Uganda (excluding electric two and three-wheelers) grew from just two units in 2019 to 1,127 units in 2024, with 88% of these vehicles registered in 2024. However, only 8% of these vehicles were fully electric vehicles. The vast majority (90%) were hybrids, while 2% were plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. 

• The growing number of EVs in Uganda requires major investments in charging and battery swapping infrastructure. In 2024, Uganda had about 30 DC fast chargers installed in major cities. They are operated by a number of both state and non-state investors. it also had 134 swapping stations for electric motorcycles, mainly in the major cities. 

Our take

• While Uganda’s major cities like Kampala, Jinja and Entebbe have a sizeable network of chargers and swap stations, expanding access to rural areas—especially through mobile swapping units or solar-powered microgrids—will boost inclusivity and deepen market penetration.

• Since high-value components such as motors and batteries are still imported, Uganda should introduce tax breaks, research and development grants, or public-private partnerships to jumpstart domestic manufacturing of these high-value components, closing the local value chain loop.

• With Spiro’s planned 50,000-unit plant and rising production capacity, coupled with its relatively lower production costs, Uganda could position itself as East Africa’s center for electric motorcycle exports, particularly targeting markets like Rwanda, DRC, and Kenya.