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The Conversation
The Conversation
MJ (Thinus) Booysen, Professor in Engineering, Stellenbosch University

Africa’s electric motorbike future can be built locally and powered by solar – our 6,000km ride shows what’s possible

The electric bike on the road in Kenya. Photo: Lewis Seymour, CC BY

Across much of Africa, motorcycles are not leisure vehicles. They are workhorses. They carry commuters, schoolchildren, goods, medicines and deliveries. For millions of people, they provide the most affordable and accessible form of transport, while also creating livelihoods for riders and small businesses.

In many places, they fill the gap left by limited public transport. Kenya alone has about 1.5 million riders.

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