Ampersand Signs BYD Deal To Supply 40,000 Battery Cells For East Africa Expansion

Ampersand, an electric motorcycle company based in Kigali, said it signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese battery maker BYD to supply 40,000 electric battery cells by the end of 2026 to enable the startup’s expansion in Africa.

“Rwanda, recognized as a pioneer of sustainable transport at COP28, has become a beacon for environmentally friendly initiatives in Africa”

Africanews

Jeune Afrique framed the contest as “Spiro vs Ampersand,” noting that the startup Spiro arrived on the continent in 2022 and had overtaken Ampersand, which had deployed Africa’s first commercial fleet of electric two-wheelers.

Africanews

TechCabal reported that Ampersand raised an additional $2 million in a Series A round to expand into other East African countries, bringing its total funds raised to $21.5 million.

TechCabal added that Ampersand is based in Kigali and that it owns 18 charging stations in Kigali and Nairobi, while also citing an agreement in June 2024 to build 40,000 electric motorcycles in Kenya and Rwanda by the end of 2026.

In Rwanda, Africanews said Ampersand unveiled its plan to deploy 600,000 electric motorcycles in Kigali, joined by Nairobi, Kenya, and Kampala, Uganda, as it pushed green mobility in East Africa.

TechCabal said the $2 million Series A financing attracted investors including AHL Venture Partners and Everstrong Capital, and it quoted Joshua Whale, CEO of Ampersand, saying the funding would “accelerate the deployment of our technology and energy infrastructure for electric vehicles in the mass market.”

TechCabal also quoted Whale on the company’s goal of deploying 5 million electric motorcycles by 2033, and it said Ampersand struck an agreement with BYD in June 2024 to build 40,000 electric motorcycles in Kenya and Rwanda by the end of 2026.

CNN

Africanews quoted Ampersand general counsel Alice Rwema explaining, “There are millions of gasoline-powered motorcycles on the roads; our goal is to ensure that in a few years, there will be only electric motorcycles in circulation.”

Africanews added that Felix Nishimiye testified, “I spend 2,000 francs instead of 5,000 Rwandan francs to charge my battery and for 80 km,” and it said the company’s motorcycles traveled 180 million kilometers in Rwanda over the past four years.

Jeune Afrique described Ampersand’s BYD memorandum as part of a broader push to expand in Africa, while TechCabal tied the financing to scaling production in Kigali and Nairobi ahead of a Series B fundraising round.

CNN said its interview with Josh Whale focused on “the benefits of vertical integration” and what it takes to build the infrastructure to support electric two wheelers, linking Ampersand’s strategy to the rollout of charging and energy support.

“CNN talks with Josh Whale, the CEO of Ampersand — a business focused on e-mobility — about the benefits of vertical integration, what it takes to build the infrastructure to support electric two wheelers, and their growth strategy for East Africa and beyond”

CNN

Africanews described Rwanda as a pioneer of sustainable transport at COP28 and said Ampersand’s plan targets Kigali first, with Nairobi, Kenya, and Kampala, Uganda, as additional launch sites.

Africanews warned that about 60% of Rwanda's public transport is provided by motorcycles and said this contributes to significant carbon emissions, posing “a serious threat to Rwanda and East Africa, as it impacts the environment and public health.”

afriqueitnews reported that the electric mobility startup Dodai closed a Series A round of $13 million in Addis Ababa, consisting of $8 million in equity and $5 million in debt, as it aimed to accelerate the deployment of its electric motorcycles.

Jeune Afrique’s “Spiro vs Ampersand” framing placed Ampersand’s expansion plans alongside the broader electric two-wheeler race, while TechCabal’s charging-station figures in Kigali and Nairobi underscored the infrastructure stakes for scaling across East Africa.