With the world struggling against climate change and searching for sustainable solutions, Uganda is emerging as one of the champions in the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. With a rich depository of natural resources and a promising proactive government, the country is well on track to have the year 2025 marked in history as a time when electric mobility would blossom.
We explore the journey so far in relation to Uganda’s electric vehicles, the challenges faced, and what else should be accomplished to ensure a successful transition towards electric automobiles.
The journey so far
The introduction of electric mobility to Uganda happened on November 24, 2011, when the President, Yoweri Museveni, unveiled the Kiira Electric Vehicle at Makerere University. This vehicle was developed by students and staff from the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT). It was (and still is) a testimony to Uganda’s desire to innovate in the automotive sector. Beyond the technology involved, the Kiira EV was a declaration of intent from a nation that was keen to embrace sustainable transport solutions.
A status that was kindled by the initial fanfare surrounding the Kiira EV prompted the Ugandan government to establish Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) in 2015. KMC was given responsibility for the concerted implementation of all local manufacturing efforts and the development of electric vehicles made according to Ugandan needs. It started by acquiring land for a manufacturing facility in Jinja, intended to manufacture electric mobility solutions aimed at curbing air pollution in urban areas such as Kampala.
In April 2018, the Cabinet of Uganda approved the all-encompassing roadmap toward the commercialization of electric vehicles. Among the components was a seed fund of about $40 million disbursed within four years to support KMC’s operations. The government also realized that a shift to electric vehicles was not only an environmental necessity but also a possible economic opportunity to revitalize local manufacturing and job creation.
In June 2021, KMC announced the start of electric vehicle manufacture at its Nakasongola factory, which would be a milestone in Uganda producing around 5,000 electric vehicles per year. The company also stated that most of the components would be obtained locally, which would eventually develop local production capacities and reduce reliance on imports.
As the EV landscape started forming, national efforts granted an extension on the scope of charging infrastructure across Uganda. Under this work, plans were underway to commission about 50 charging stations before 2025 across the country. At the same time, awareness campaigns were set out to educate the public on the merits of electric mobility. The government, in addition, instituted tax rebates for the importation of electric vehicles and associated components, thus inducing market interest.
A major milestone was achieved this late November 2024 with the launch of the E-Bus Xpress in Jinja City. Using electric buses with cashless payment systems, this exciting public transport mode provides citizens with a more effective and environmentally friendly travel experience. The E-Bus Xpress thus constitutes progress in public transport and major steps toward reducing urban air pollution.
The key players in Uganda’s EV evolution
Several key players are actively contributing to the evolution of the e-mobility landscape. These stakeholders range from government entities to private companies and non-profit organizations, each playing a crucial role in promoting electric mobility.
- Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC)
Upfront in the electric vehicle revolution activity is Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) in Uganda. KMC is an enterprise that is wholly owned by the state, and its establishment was intended to spearhead local EV manufacture. KMC has produced several electric vehicle prototypes, including the Kayoola EVS, the first fully electric city bus made for urban mass transportation. It is important to understand that KMC is projected to manufacture 5000 electric vehicles per year, and has stressed local sourcing of components to boost domestic manufacturing.
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- Nissan Uganda
Perhaps Nissan Uganda speaks most eloquently on behalf of electric mobility through the Nissan Leaf, its pride and flagship. One of the most popular electric vehicles in the world, the Leaf is likely to become one of the many change agents in Uganda’s automotive scene and will assist develop an equal amount of EV infrastructure in the developing country by pushing for charging stations in the country for its consumption.
Nissan is working together with the local dealerships and service centers with trained technicians for the maintenance and repair of the Leaf.
- Spiro
Currently, Spiro has rolled out more than 15,000 electric motorcycles across different countries in Africa. In Uganda, specifically, it has rolled out over 1000 electric bikes operating in Kampala, with plans of ramping up the fleet significantly.
Among them is advanced battery swapping technology that allows riders to swap a depleted battery for a new, fully charged one at designated battery swapping stations within the city. This has simplified the process for the users, thus cutting downtime and time spent on swaps. The company plans to build about 35 battery swapping stations for Kampala by the end of 2024 to have readily available charged batteries for electric motorcycle users.
- Zembo
Zembo is another one of the leading electric mobility companies in Uganda specializing in providing electric motorcycle taxis (boda bodas) through a leasing scheme to either acquire or own. More than 400 electric motorcycles have been put on Ugandan roads, which are reducing fuel costs and fewer maintenance costs for the rider, while also helping to reduce emissions.
- GOGO Electric
GOGO Electric focuses on advanced lithium-ion battery technology and operates a battery swap network that enhances convenience for electric motorcycle users. By providing easy access to charged batteries, GOGO Electric addresses one of the significant challenges facing EV adoption—charging time—making it more practical for riders to switch from traditional motorcycles to electric alternatives.
- Green Hub
Green Hub, co-founded by Kjaer Group/Motorcare and Nexus Green Ltd, plays a vital role in providing affordable e-bikes and establishing charging points throughout Kampala. The organization focuses on making electric mobility accessible to all Ugandans while promoting environmental sustainability.
Green Hub recently collaborated with TotalEnergies Marketing Uganda to launch public charging stations at service locations across Kampala. It is an important milestone in the continued establishment of infrastructure for charging electric bikes and vehicles, thus enhancing the continued development of e-mobility in Uganda.
- Uganda Electric Mobility Association (UEMA)
The foundation of the Uganda Electric Mobility Association-UEMA is an important progress toward concerting efforts in the entire industry of e-mobility. UEMA was started in October 2024 with the aim of networking among stakeholders that include government agencies, private companies, NGOs, and academia to foster innovation and investment in electric mobility.
See also: Uganda’s e-mobility association launches, with call for favorable policies
- Government initiatives
With the formulation of electric mobility policies and infrastructure development, the Uganda government is taking a very active part in steering the country toward electric mobility. This includes mobilizing the Ministry of Energy, which has launched e-mobility initiatives by developing charging facilities and policies for promoting EV use.
Some of the recent developments are piloting electric charging locations at strategic sites such as Amber House in Kampala and also providing support for the establishment of numerous charging stations along key transport corridors including Masaka Road.
This new direction makes e-mobility a priority in the national energy policy to ensure that the government makes electricity available in all accesses, offering further opportunities to all Ugandans to switch to electric vehicles by the year 2030.
Challenges on the road to EV-olution
Despite these promising developments, several challenges hinder Uganda’s path toward a comprehensive network of electric vehicle charging stations and widespread EV adoption.
- High installation costs
The financial implications of building the charging infrastructure are quite high. The cost of a good quality charger is between US$15,000 and US$20,000 and comprises not only the price of chargers but also all the site preparations and electrical works to construct a safe facility. Businesses may also require independent transformers to handle peak demand, making an additional cost of around US$20,000 to their budget.
- Limited access to electricity
Access to reliable connections continues to be a great challenge in many regions of the country, and charging stations become irrelevant in rural areas where the electricity supply is more irregular and not even present. Even in towns such as Kampala, it might be a struggle to connect some of the chargers to the city grid as all these new EV chargers spike the demand in the grid.
- Regulatory and policy barriers
Despite some strides made in putting in place welcoming policies for EV uptake, the challenges remain. The reintroduction of a 25 percent duty on imports of e-mobility vehicles caused barriers for even users or businesses wishing to invest in EV infrastructure. Besides, there are no standardized specifications for charging stations, which limits their compatibility across vehicle models and hence defers possible investors.
- Market readiness and demand
Currently, Uganda’s uptake of electric vehicles is relatively low compared to traditional fossil fuel-powered cars. This low penetration in the country’s market creates a chicken-and-egg dilemma: fewer EVs on the road means that investment in charging infrastructure becomes less attractive. The majority (90 percent) of consumers are not generally aware that electric vehicles exist. Many potential users do not understand the benefits or meaning of switching from simple gasoline-powered cars to such complicated fuel sources.
- Geographical distribution disparities
While urban areas are beginning to see some progress in deploying charging stations, rural regions remain underserved. Beyond the urban areas lie vast stretches of neglected areas that experience severe under-coverage. Suitable access to charging infrastructure across regions of a country is very instrumental in establishing the foundation for mass usage of electric vehicles.
What needs to be done?
To ensure that 2025 becomes a landmark year for Uganda’s electric vehicle revolution, several key actions must be prioritized.
Setting up a comprehensive network of charging stations is the necessary condition that should spur further adoption of an Electric Vehicle; the government should partner with private sector players, for example, fuel companies to plug their charging facilities into the existing networks. We should aim to achieve at least 3,500 public stations by 2025 and ensure that fast chargers are located at an intervals of 50 km along major highways.
Investment in renewable sources such as solar and hydroelectric energy, will support the increased demand for EV charging stations; upgrading the national grid as well will also factor in reliability and electrification between urban and rural areas.
Additionally, what the government needs is to establish a conducive environment for taking up EVs utilizing power policies like the extension of tax exemption for electric vehicles and reduced import tariffs for critical components like batteries and chargers. Regulations on the standards of infrastructural development will also encourage investment by creating an environment of certainty to businesses venturing in that arena.
Announcing the message through public campaigns will also be useful in promoting the awareness level in the community on the benefits of electric vehicles in terms of environmental-as well as economic-benefits. Initiatives focus on demonstrating success stories from early adopters and then organize events in the community to pave the way for potential users to experience first hand electric mobility.
Collaboration and cooperation among responsible agencies, private enterprises, NGOs, and academic institutions become important in mobilizing resources and expertise toward the advancement of e-mobility initiatives. Building partnerships-in including Uganda Electric Mobility Association (UEMA)- would spur innovation and investment into this canvassing sector.
An establishment for monitoring the progress of the EV market will be essential in informing policy adjustment based on current actual use rates and trends. The collecting of data has to be sales figures as well as to charging stations built and user demographics so as to identify weaknesses and nurture transparency within this developing scene.
Uganda is finally at that change point in its history when it will transition from ambitions to realities with its energized future, which unfortunately lies the true face of trials that must be faced for EV-olution in Uganda to be marked in 2025.
As we close into this: Increasing public awareness about what electric mobility can derive towards its benefits through campaigns on education while fostering collaboration among stakeholders must be key on the agenda. Similarly, Uganda has to develop the charging infrastructure and availability of electricity supply networks, supportive policies, and education to get through these hurdles and find her destiny on the path of becoming the leader in Africa in sustainable transportation solutions.
Editor’s Note: This article was written with contributions from Douglas Kikonyogo.