Spiro Uganda to nearly triple mega battery-swap hubs
Spiro Uganda plans to nearly triple its mega battery-swapping hubs to 11 by December 2026, as the electric motorcycle company builds out infrastructure to support growing adoption of electric two-wheelers in the country.
The expansion from the current four mega hubs is intended to improve access to charged batteries and support maintenance services for riders. Spiro also runs more than 360 battery-swapping stations across Uganda.
Bruce Mucunguzi, deputy country director at Spiro Uganda, said the company is adding solar- and grid-powered mega swapping hubs to its network. Each hub can charge at least 200 batteries at the same time, which improves battery availability for riders.
Mucunguzi was speaking at the Renewable Energy Conference and Expo 2026 at the Kampala Serena Hotel. The event, themed “From Systems to Scale”, was organised by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the National Renewable Energy Platform.
Spiro’s existing mega hubs are in Mukono, Soroti, Jinja and Bukoto in Kampala. The new hubs are expected to make battery exchanges more accessible and cut the time riders spend waiting for batteries to recharge.
Riders can swap a depleted battery for a fully charged one and get back on the road without waiting through a full charge cycle. For commercial riders who depend on their motorcycles for daily income, battery availability and less downtime are major factors when choosing electric mobility.
Beyond its network, Spiro Uganda is also focusing on motorcycle maintenance, access to spare parts and safe riding as the market develops. Mucunguzi credited the uptake of Spiro’s electric motorcycles to business models designed to remove barriers to adoption and improve customer satisfaction.
Regulation needed to scale
Government figures point to growing local capacity in Uganda’s e-mobility sector. Allan Muhumuza, team leader of the Mobility Bureau at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, said installed electric vehicle (EV) production capacity reached 79,000 units a year in 2025. About 25,000 EVs, mainly motorcycles, were manufactured locally that year.
Muhumuza added that electric cars are getting cheaper and could soon cost less than petrol and diesel alternatives, putting them within reach of more consumers and commercial operators.
The sector’s growth will also depend on clear standards and regulations for supporting infrastructure.
Derick Birimumaso, a senior official at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, said Uganda needs to move beyond pilot projects and put in place a regulatory framework for e-mobility infrastructure.
He named vehicle, battery and user safety, accessible charging facilities and user security as key priorities. The proposed regulations will also cover energy metering, tariffs, billing and licensing, and will guide how charging and battery-swapping facilities are developed and managed.
As electric motorcycles gain traction in Uganda, wider swapping infrastructure, reliable after-sales support and clear regulation will shape the sector’s long-term growth. Spiro said reaching 11 mega hubs by December is a step towards improving battery access and keeping more electric motorcycles on the road.
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