Is there a solar-powered motorcycle in your future?

Have you considered buying an electric motorbike to get you through the fuel price crunch?

CapeTalk's Barry Mare spoke to Dr Stephan Lacock from Stellenbosch University about their team's 2024 journey from Nairobi, Kenya to South Africa on a locally-manufactured electric motorcycle that was powered entirely by solar.

Lacock explained that the project started about six years ago. "We did a lot of research work on electric minibus taxis. Specifically in South Africa, there's over 300,000 of them and we have identified it as a key sector to look at when it comes to the transition towards electric mobility.

"And we were displaying some of the work we were doing in Kenya. And when we got there we got invited to this manufacturing facility". It was able to manufacture thousands of electric motorcycles per year.

So, recognising that East Africa is far ahead in terms of electric mobility than the rest of Africa, Lacock and the team started to build a research relationship there. "Started looking at local manufacturing and supply chains across Africa. Before we knew it we were trying to get an electric motorcycle into South Africa from Kenya. And we just struggled."

The solution was to ride it 6,000 km through six countries.

Lacock says that while South Africa has the manufacturing capacity, it doesn't have the same motorcycle culture. "However, we do see that changing quite soon."

"It's quite ironic that East Africa doesn't have the manufacturing capacity that we have here in South Africa yet they have thousands upon thousands of electric motorcycles in the country. I think the biggest company has a fleet of around 15,000 across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.

"Roam the bike that we drove down has over 5,000 motorcycles in Kenya. So it gives you a perspective of what they've done in the past three years. And they're looking to ramp that up close to 50,000 motorcycles at the end of this year. And they will double up as we continue to the 2030s."

He believes affordability will boost the numbers here. "Imagine that someone who hasn't been able to own an asset their entire life has access to buy a motorcycle. Firstly, it's affordable because you can create a micro enterprise around that motorcycle."

To listen to the full discussion, click the media player below: