Electric Boda Battery Swap in Kenya: How It Works

The short answer

With battery swapping, a boda rider rides into a swap station, hands over a flat battery and leaves with a charged one in a few minutes. The rider usually owns or finances the motorcycle and pays for the battery and energy per swap or through a subscription, often on M-Pesa. The rider never waits for a charge.

Who runs battery swapping in Kenya

Several companies run electric boda networks in Kenya, including Spiro, Roam, Ampersand, Arc Ride and Ecobodaa. Spiro alone had about 500 swap stations by September 2026. Each network's batteries usually only fit its own motorcycles, so check which network serves your area before you buy a bike.

What an electric boda costs

Prices change often and depend on the financing deal. As one example, in July 2025 riders could take a Roam Air through Fortune Credit for a KES 25,000 deposit and then KES 527 a day for 24 months, insurance included. Ask each network for its current bike price, deposit, daily payment and swap price before you decide.

Swapping against charging at home

• Swapping: a few minutes per swap, no charger needed, but you pay the network's energy and battery price.
• Charging the removable battery at home: cheaper energy, but several hours per charge, and not every model allows it.
• Kerbside charging: charging the bike in place while you wait, for riders near a charger.

The Precifarm Boda Hub

The Precifarm Boda Hub offers battery swap or kerbside charging in under 5 minutes, paid with M-Pesa. An automated smart-locker version, where riders find a hub, reserve a pack, scan and swap on their own, is in design and testing.