Electric motorcycles integration in urban transport systems in Africa: insights and prospects L'intégration des motos électriques dans les systèmes de transport urbain en Afrique : constats et perspectives En Fr

Résumé En Fr

Several times announced and several times aborted, the electric vehicle (EV) revolution in the transportation sector seems to have been decisively underway for a decade. Behind the passenger vehicles that represent the strategic segment of this market, electric motorized two-wheelers are booming. Although Africa accounts for only a tiny share of this market, electric motorcycles have been integrated into the continent's urban transport offer at a relatively rapid pace for several years. Thus, the conversion of all or part of the current and future fleet of motorcycles in Africa to electric engine will inevitably have strong social, economic and environmental impacts on this segment, given its place in urban transport systems. This paper aims to analyze the recent rise of electric motorcycles in Africa, their geographic deployment, the ecosystem of stakeholders that is emerging and the broadcast strategies implemented. It is based on a project-based analysis approach articulated in two complementary phases. The first phase involved an exhaustive census of electric mobility projects involving motorcycles on the continent, by using online print media and multimedia content mobilized through video hosting websites such as YouTube. The second, based on semi-structured interviews, aims to validate the secondary information from the initial collection and supplement it with primary data not available online. The results show that the diffusion of electric motorcycles in Africa is a recent process, with the main niche markets being in the eastern cities of the continent, which are known for both their dependence on motorcycles and their innovation capabilities. Most of these projects are local initiatives driven by local startups and entrepreneurs who rely on original business models based on sharing economy and circular economy approaches to limit the barriers of electric motorcycle adoption, especially in the Bottom of Pyramid markets.

Plusieurs fois annoncée et plusieurs fois avortée, la révolution du secteur des transports par les véhicules électriques (VE) semble décisivement amorcée depuis une décennie. À l'ombre des véhicules de tourisme qui incarnent le segment stratégique de ce marché, prospèrent les deux-roues motorisés électriques. Si l'Afrique n'en représente qu'une infime partie, il n'en reste pas moins que l'intégration des motos électriques dans l'offre de transport urbain sur le continent se fait à un rythme relativement rapide depuis quelques années. La présente contribution propose d'analyser l'essor récent des motos électriques en Afrique et leur intégration dans les systèmes de transport urbain. Elle s'appuie pour ce faire sur une approche de l'analyse par projet qui articule un recensement exhaustif des projets de mobilité électrique adossés aux motos à l'organisation d'entretiens semi-directifs. Il en ressort essentiellement que la diffusion des motos électriques en Afrique est un processus récent dont les principaux marchés de niches se trouvent dans les villes à l'Est du continent, connues à la fois pour leur dépendance aux motocyclettes et leur appétence en termes d'innovation. La plupart de ces projets relèvent d'initiatives locales impulsées par des startups qui s'appuient sur des modèles d'affaires originaux valorisant les approches de l'économie du partage et de l'économie circulaire en vue de limiter les barrières à l'adoption des motos électriques notamment sur les marchés du Bottom of Pyramid. Mots clés : moto électrique, top-down/bottom-up, marché de niche, business model, Bottom of Pyramid, Afrique Abstract : Several times announced and several times aborted, the electric vehicle (EV) revolution in the transportation sector seems to have been decisively underway for a decade. Behind the passenger vehicles that represent the strategic segment of this market, electric motorized two-wheelers are booming. Although Africa accounts for only a tiny share of this market, electric motorcycles have been integrated into the continent's urban transport offer at a relatively rapid pace for several years. Thus, the conversion of all or part of the current and future fleet of motorcycles in Africa to electric engine will inevitably have strong social, economic and environmental impacts on this segment, given its place in urban transport systems. This paper aims to analyze the recent rise of electric motorcycles in Africa, their geographic deployment, the ecosystem of stakeholders that is emerging and the broadcast strategies implemented. It is based on a project-based analysis approach articulated in two complementary phases. The first phase involved an exhaustive census of electric mobility projects involving motorcycles on the continent, by using online print media and multimedia content mobilized through video hosting websites such as YouTube. The second, based on semi-structured interviews, aims to validate the secondary information from the initial collection and supplement it with primary data not available online. The results show that the diffusion of electric motorcycles in Africa is a recent process, with the main niche markets being in the eastern cities of the continent, which are known for both their dependence on motorcycles and 2 their innovation capabilities. Most of these projects are local initiatives driven by local startups and entrepreneurs who rely on original business models based on sharing economy and circular economy approaches to limit the barriers of electric motorcycle adoption, especially in the Bottom of Pyramid market