Kigali, 11 December 2019: Minister of Infrastructure, Hon. Claver Gatete has joined the Africa's first electric vehicle company (Ampersand) to celebrate 250,000 kilometers traveled by its 20 motorcycle taxis in Rwanda, with an event in Kigali.

Since its launch in May 2019, twenty Ampersand e-motos have been operating on a commercial basis, taking passengers across Kigali. Drivers rent batteries from a network of Ampersand charging stations around town that they swap out in less than two minutes after traveling 70km.

In his remarks, Minister Claver Gatete expressed his gratitude towards Ampersand for reaching this milestone and pioneering e-mobility which presents an opportunity to witness the feasibility of electric mobility in Rwanda.

He said that this is an indication and evidence that electric Mobility concept is achievable. He also highlighted that Rwanda has become home of proof of concept and welcomed more innovations.

Minister Gatete highlighted the commitment of Government of the Republic of Rwanda “to promote Electric transport as a green mobility option which is also a viable solution to reduce air pollution in Kigali as well as in other urban areas”. “The Government of Rwanda envisions to achieve seamless, green and sustainable transportation with a safe and environmentally sound transport for goods and people. Thus initiatives like these contribute to our vision”, he noted. He reassured private investors that the Government of Rwanda is committed to support the investment in local assembly of electric vehicles.

Josh Whale, Ampersand Founder and Chief Executive Officer said that using electricity to power the motorcycles eliminates petrol costs for drivers and doubles their take home income.“In Rwanda, more than half of all vehicles on the road are motorbike taxis. But these motorbikes are not cheap, the fuel they burn is expensive, and they produce serious amounts of pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. But Ampersand, the Rwanda-based company, has the solution”, he said

"With our electric motorcycles and battery-swap model, we make it cheaper to buy and operate an electric motorcycle than a petrol motorbike. Going electric will double a driver's income now, and leapfrog Africa towards a zero-carbon future," he added.

"We've proven that out electric motorcycles, assembled locally in Rwanda, can replace petrol bikes while doubling drivers' incomes, reducing harmful emissions, and saving drivers time," says Whale.

"We couldn't have reached this milestone without the strong support of the Government of Rwanda and we are looking forward to working together to achieve the first mass-market shift to electric vehicles in the world."

Based in Kigali, Ampersand assembles and finances electric motorcycles (e-motos) that are cheaper, cleaner and better performing than the 5 million petrol motorcycle taxis currently in use across East Africa. Ampersand's vehicles deliver superior driving performance and emit 75% less carbon than petrol motorcycles, with zero tailpipe emissions.