Kampala, Uganda – In a move to accelerate electric mobility and expand access to clean energy, TotalEnergies Marketing Uganda, in partnership with Zembo, today launched a fully automated, self-service battery swapping station.
Unveiled at the TotalEnergies Nakawa Service Station, this innovation by Zembo allows electric motorcycle riders to swap batteries 24/7—a breakthrough that eliminates downtime, reduces costs, and brings affordable clean transport closer to the masses.
Each station can serve over 100 riders per day, enabling fast, frictionless energy access and supporting riders who rely on uptime to earn a living.
Speaking at the launch, Board Chair H.E. Stephen Kaboyo emphasized the financial benefit for riders:
“E-mobility is not only about cleaner air; it is also about livelihoods. By switching to battery swapping, riders can save on daily energy costs, which translates into weekly savings, money that directly supports their families.”
He reaffirmed TotalEnergies’ ambition to be a key player in the energy transition and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, highlighting the company’s continued investment in renewable and low-carbon solutions across Uganda.
Powering Clean Mobility in Africa
Zembo Uganda is pioneering Africa-specific e-mobility solutions that are practical, cost-saving, and scalable. With over 1,100 e-bikes sold and a rapidly growing battery swapping network, the company is positioning Uganda as a leader in the continent’s clean transport revolution.
“This station is more than just hardware—it’s a locally built innovation designed for African cities, by African engineers,” said James Obarowski, Chief Executive Officer at Zembo.
“It demonstrates Uganda’s growing capacity to lead in green technology.” he added.
With the number of boda boda users in Kampala increasing, Zembo is targeting mass adoption. By 2030, the company aims to power 50 million battery swaps per annum, eliminating 3 million metric tons of Carbon emissions and saving riders $100 million in fuel and maintenance costs.
This new infrastructure directly supports that mission. With seamless energy-as-a-service, riders can reduce their daily transport costs by 40%, while gaining time and reliability.
By the end of 2025, Zembo plans to expand its network to 100 battery swapping stations across Uganda, including through the deployment of automated stations and micro-franchise partnerships that empower local entrepreneurs.
In her remarks delivered by Mr. James Kisaale, Member of the Advisory Council, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero noted:
“To date, Uganda has produced over 4,000 electric bikes and installed more than 150 battery swapping stations a clear sign of progress in building a robust e-mobility ecosystem.With an ambitious national target of producing 500,000 electric vehicles annually by 2030, Uganda is well-positioned to achieve its e-mobility goals.”
Minister further said that “Since its founding in 2017, Zembo has rapidly grown into one of Uganda’s leading electric vehicle companies. With an impressive fleet of over 1,000 electric bikes—in fact, I hear from Daniel that the number has now surpassed 3,000 and a wide network of battery swapping stations, Zembo is setting the pace in Uganda’s e-mobility sector.”
Musenero emphasized that Zembo has actively contributed to these goals by deploying thousands of electric bikes and establishing over 40 battery swapping stations across the country. “These initiatives are not only helping to reduce Uganda’s carbon footprint, but also significantly lowering operational costs for riders something that is very important for us as a country.”
“What’s more exciting is that this swapping cabinet is automated and locally manufactured a true reflection of Uganda’s growing domestic capacity in high-tech innovation. Its co-location with TotalEnergies stations presents a sustainable model for our national charging infrastructure one founded on partnership, collaboration, value addition, and customer experience” Minister Musenero emphasized.
