Source: TechAfrica News. Kigali skyline image is illustrative and does not show the station.
Electric mobility company SPIRO has launched its tenth mega battery-swapping station in Rwanda, expanding the network serving electric motorcycle riders.
The company says the new station can charge up to 1,600 batteries simultaneously and support more than 8,000 battery swaps daily. TechAfrica News reports that SPIRO has deployed more than 40,000 electric motorcycles to date.
Battery swapping allows riders to exchange depleted batteries for charged ones instead of waiting for a full recharge. For people who depend on motorcycles for work, reduced downtime can be an important part of the business case for switching to electric vehicles.
Infrastructure determines adoption
Electric motorcycles require more than vehicles: riders need convenient access to reliable charging or swapping, predictable pricing and sufficient coverage beyond major city centres. SPIRO says it wants to extend access into rural districts and enable swaps in under two minutes.
The scale of daily swaps will be a useful measure of whether the network is meeting real demand. Long-term adoption will also depend on battery availability, operating costs, vehicle performance and the pace at which stations expand into locations where riders earn their livelihoods.
Source: TechAfrica News report.