When Rwandan motorcycle taxi driver Evode Niyorurema converted his fuel guzzler to an electric motorbike, he had no idea he was on the frontlines of the East African nation’s fight against climate change, IgbereTV reports.
“The reason I switched to an electric motorbike is that I wanted to avoid fuel costs, which are always rising, and also the cost of going to the garage all the time (for servicing),” the 37-year-old told AFP.
The firm responsible for revamping his ride, Rwanda Electric Motors Ltd, has converted around 80 motorcycle taxis so far — the most common form of public transport in the capital Kigali — and developed another 200 brand-new electric motorbikes for use.
The project, which is funded by Rwanda’s government and the United Nations Development Programme, is part of an ambitious national push to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 16 percent by 2030 and a further 38 percent over the following decade
