Mauto's e-motorcycles are changing Benin's bike-taxi scene
Zems wind their way through almost every street in Cotonou, the economic capital of Benin. These fuel-guzzling motorbike taxis emit harmful fumes, adding considerably to the city’s pollution.
An e-bike startup is now looking to change all that, perhaps in other parts of Africa, too.
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Each zem produces around 15 tons of carbon dioxide annually, putting the cumulative figure for these bike taxis at about 3,750,000 tons of harmful emissions every year.
Yet, they are also one of the most popular modes of transport—there are an estimated 250,000 of them—in this west African nation of 13 million people.
Last year, though, more than 2,000 electric motorbikes were introduced in Cotonou. And there are more coming.
These green-and-black electric motorbikes were launched by Mauto, a bold and ambitious city-based startup, earlier called M Auto, that’s looking to eventually convert most petrol-bike taxis to e-bike taxis in the francophone nation.
Mauto is preparing Benin—and Africa—for an e-bike ride
There are two Mauto models currently in the market in Benin: the smaller Chap Chap which costs around $1,500 per unit and the Commando at $1,900.
“Our ambition is to convert 100% of the motorbike taxis to electric bikes,” Shegun Bakari, CEO of Mauto, told Quartz. “We have already deployed more than 2,000 bikes since June and we have over 2,000 more people who have paid their down payments and are waiting for the delivery of their bikes. There is a lot of demand because we are offering something new.”
Mauto imports its bikes from China. It is, however, in the process of setting up an assembly plant in the special economic zone of Glo-Djigbé on the outskirts of Cotonou, which will be operational in the next few months.
The parts will be shipped in from abroad and assembled in Benin. This will allow Mauto to save on logistics.
“If we could manufacture everything locally, then we would,” said Bakari. “But, at this point, the local market cannot provide all the parts we need.”
Mauto’s e-bikes must overcome several hurdles
One of the main hurdles before the startup is convincing more motorbike drivers to make the switch.
“I used to have a normal Bajaj bike,” said Wanyé Danvi Toussaint, a zem rider. “This new bike is good because I don’t have to pay to get it serviced and it is cheaper to recharge than buying fuel.”
The key, indeed, is to make things cheaper for them than they are now.
“Many of the taxi drivers live on less than $1 a day and so they are not going to buy an electric bike just because it is better for the environment; it needs to be an attractive proposition,” Bakari said.
At the moment, high fuel prices make e-bikes a solid alternative. Fully charging a 73.6v e-bike battery costs around $2, taking the rider up to 70 kilometres. The same distance would need around 2-3 litres of petrol which now costs around $1.1 per litre.
Then there is finance. Most Benin taxi owners depend on easy finance to purchase bikes. Mauto, on its part, offers competitive interest rates besides covering maintenance costs.
Another big hurdle is the lack of charging stations in Benin.
To overcome this, Mauto has decided to build a series of “battery swap” stations across Cotonou. These allow users to swap used batteries for fully charged ones at more than 60 stations across Benin’s largest city.
Mauto has plans for Rwanda and Congo, too
Africa is home to a growing number of e-mobility startups but very few have been able to match Mauto’s rollout speed.
Launched in 2018, Rwanda-based Ampersand announced that by last December it had 800 operational bikes. Uganda’s Zembo and several Kenyan startups have also ventured into the sector in recent years.
However, huge operating costs and a lack of investment have also led to closures: Last year, Kenya’s first electric taxi service, Nopea, shut shop.
Governments must also promote favorable tax regimes and reduce import taxes, Bakari said. The business model works in Benin, according to him, because of the low import taxes on electronic vehicle equipment, giving Mauto a competitive edge.
Mauto is now operational in Togo and will expand in Rwanda this year. It is also looking at countries like Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
“We are in discussion with these governments for them to reduce taxes and, if that happens, we will be able to set up shop,” Bakari said.
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