Paul Waweru roams the streets of Nairobi, Kenya, looking for old laptop batteries that, once transformed, will allow him to power electric bicycles and motorcycles. After recovering old two-wheelers, he installs a recycled battery in them and resells them via the company he created, Ecomobilus.
“Ecomobilus bicycles are maintenance-free, as they have no mechanical parts that need to be repaired regularly. Second, recharging with electricity is much more affordable than refueling. A full charge costs less than three dollars compared to seven dollars for boda-boda, motorcycle taxis, which run on gasoline. So, in summary, these bikes are more profitable and easier to maintain,” explains Paul Waweru, professor of physics and inventor.
These two arguments are confirmed by a number of couriers and deliverers won over by these electric bikes. They quickly adopted them. John Mwangi, for example, discovered this system six months ago and he is delighted.
“With my other bike, I used a lot of gas and refueling often took time. But with electricity, I waste less time. It’s efficient and I save money since I no longer use fuel. It only costs me two dollars a day and then I have peace of mind for the rest of the day,” says the Ecomobilus bike-loving delivery driver.