Spiro to triple battery swapping hubs as e-motorcycle demand rises
Electric motorcycle company Spiro Uganda plans to increase its mega battery-swapping hubs from four to 11 by December 2026 as demand for electric motorcycles grows.
The expansion is intended to make battery replacement more convenient for riders while strengthening maintenance and spare parts support as more Ugandans adopt electric two-wheelers.
Bruce Mucunguzi, Spiro Uganda’s deputy country director, said the company was integrating solar and grid-powered mega swapping hubs into its network. Each hub has the capacity to charge at least 200 batteries simultaneously.
Mr Mucunguzi made the remarks at the Renewable Energy Conference and Expo 2026, held at Kampala Serena Hotel under the theme “From Systems to Scale”. The conference was organised by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the National Renewable Energy Platform.
He said safe riding, maintenance services and access to spare parts were critical to sustaining the growth of the electric motorcycle market.
Mr Mucunguzi attributed the uptake of Spiro’s electric motorcycles to business models designed to address barriers to adoption and improve customer satisfaction.
Spiro Uganda has established four mega battery-swapping hubs in Mukono, Soroti, Jinja and Bukoto in Kampala. The planned expansion to 11 hubs by December will complement its network of more than 360 battery-swapping stations across the country.
The network allows riders to exchange depleted batteries for fully charged ones, reducing the inconvenience associated with waiting for batteries to recharge.
Government moves to regulate sector
As electric mobility expands, government is also working on policies and regulations to guide the development of the sector.
Allan Muhumuza, team leader of the Mobility Bureau at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, said government policies were attracting more players into the electric vehicle industry.
He said Uganda’s installed electric vehicle production capacity had grown to 79,000 units annually in 2025, with 25,000 electric vehicles, mainly motorcycles, manufactured locally.
Mr Muhumuza added that electric vehicles were becoming more affordable and could soon cost less than petrol and diesel-powered alternatives.
However, officials say the expansion of the industry must be matched by standards and regulations governing charging and battery-swapping infrastructure.
Eng Derick Birimumaso, a senior official at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, said Uganda needed to move beyond pilot projects and establish a regulatory framework for electric vehicle infrastructure.
He identified vehicle, user and battery safety, accessible charging facilities and user security as key priorities.
The proposed regulations will also address energy metering, tariffs, billing and licensing, providing guidelines for the development and operation of electric vehicle infrastructure.
The planned framework is expected to help establish standards as investment in electric mobility grows and more riders shift from petrol-powered motorcycles to electric alternatives.
