Taxi-Moto Riders Complain About Faulty Batteries at Swap Stations

GATEOFWISE.COM

Commercial motorcyclists are raising concerns over ageing batteries at swapping stations, which they say are often mixed with new ones causing breakdowns and financial setbacks during long-distance trips.

Battery-swapping points are designed to provide fully charged units with enough power to cover a specific distance. Yet, riders told The New Times that they are sometimes given weak or faulty batteries that run out prematurely, leaving them stranded on the road.

Riders Share Experiences

Gilbert Kamanzi, a motorcyclist, recounted an incident in July when his bike stalled midway through a journey in Rulindo District.

“It was around 7 p.m. in a forested area. I had left Kigali with a fully charged battery meant to cover 72 kilometres for my 46-kilometre trip, but it suddenly shut down. I had to find my way back to Kigali for another battery,” he said.

He added that in the city, e-mobility firms usually dispatch pickup trucks to assist riders. But in rural areas, batteries either die before reaching the expected distance or appear to show charge but fail to climb hillsforcing riders to find alternative transport.

Estache Niyonambaje, a rider since 2018, was among the first to switch from fuel to electric motorcycles after his colleague recommended the pilot project. His three-year-old petrol bike was converted free of charge, and he even sold the old engine for Rwf70,000.

Initially, the shift proved cost-effective: no fuel, no engine oil, and cheaper charging. But now, he says, the reliability is deteriorating.

“Sometimes I pick a battery expected to last 50 kilometres, but it runs out after less than 10. The problem of worn-out batteries really needs fixing,” Niyonambaje said.

Companies Respond

Donald Kabanda, CEO of Rwanda Electric Mobility (REM) Ltd, admitted that the issue exists but insisted that solutions are underway.

“Batteries past their lifespan are taken out of circulation. We classify them by age and adjust prices accordingly. Those showing poor performance are recalled and no longer supplied,” Kabanda explained.

Since 2020, REM has collected around 300 used batteries and is working on a deal with recycling companies to process them. He noted that most batteries lose efficiency after about four years.

Ampersand, another major e-mobility operator, said it had not received similar complaints but stressed that its tracking systems monitor battery performance closely. “We also gather weekly customer feedback, so any issue can be reported and handled quickly,” the company said.

Government’s Position

The Ministry of Infrastructure has assured riders and the public that expired batteries will be recycled and will not cause environmental damage.

By January this year, Rwanda had about 6,000 electric motorcycles in use out of an estimated 100,000 total motorbikes in the country.