Sipiro Motolists Say Battery Shortages Could Slow Down Renewable Energy Progress

As Rwanda accelerates the adoption of electric vehicles, some Sipiro motolists operating in the Southern Province say challenges remain particularly the lack of sufficient batteries, which affects their daily productivity and earnings.

In recent years, the Rwandan government has invested heavily in promoting renewable energy, particularly to reduce air pollution caused by fuel-powered vehicles. In this context, electric motorcycles have entered the transportation market as a sustainable solution to environmental pollution while also helping reduce expenses on imported fossil fuels.

Sipiro is one of the leading companies providing electric motorcycles in Rwanda, playing a key role in transforming the motorcycle taxi industry. However, some motolists, especially those working in the Southern Province, report that despite the benefits of the program, challenges still hinder their day-to-day operations.

In an interview with Top Africa News, several motolists highlighted that the lack of sufficient batteries is their biggest challenge, affecting the number of trips they can make daily and consequently reducing their income.

Twagirayesu Alphonse, one of the motolists operating in the Southern Province  explained how this issue impacts their daily work. “The motorcycle is great and helps us because it runs on electricity, but the problem is that sometimes the battery dies while you are working, and you have to wait a long time to replace it, which makes us lose customers.” He said

Another motolist, Habimana Eric, also based in the Southern Province spoke about the challenges of battery stations being located far from their working areas, which wastes time and energy. He emphasized the need for more batteries and conveniently located replacement stations. “When the battery dies and the station is far away, it takes a lot of time and effort. We hope they can increase the number of batteries and provide stations closer to where we operate,” he said.

Despite these challenges, the motolists expressed support for the government’s initiative to promote electric vehicles, urging only that practical measures be taken to remove the obstacles so they can continue their work efficiently.

On the side of Sipiro, company management confirmed awareness of the issue and said steps are already being taken to improve service delivery. Flex Rubanda, Operations Manager at Sipiro, stated that they are working with partners to increase both the number of batteries and the availability of stations.
“We know some motolists face battery-related challenges, but we are doing everything possible to increase the number of batteries and charging stations to improve the service we provide,” he said.

Sipiro management further explained that each motorcycle comes with two batteries, and when fully charged (100%), a battery can cover distances between 80 and 90 kilometers, depending on road conditions and usage.

Meanwhile, across the country, battery stations continue to expand to support motolists when electricity runs low during work, enabling uninterrupted service to the public.

This electric vehicle initiative remains a cornerstone of Rwanda’s efforts to protect the environment and reduce air pollution. Motolists say they are ready to embrace it fully as long as battery-related challenges are addressed.

In the Southern Province, Huye currently has nine battery stations, Nyamagabe has two, Gisagara three, and Nyaruguru two, with plans for further expansion in the coming days.