The mobility sector in Sub-Saharan Africa is heavily dependent on fossil fuels and very often uses inappropriate, unsafe, and polluting vehicles. Many people lack access to sufficient means of transportation. Prosperity and economic development are hindered by high costs, unavailability, or unreliability of transport options.

WAHU Mobility is setting up a mitigation activity which comprises the rollout of more than 100,000 e-bikes in Ghana in the timeframe until 2030 replacing fossil fuel-based vehicles. The electric fleet and its digital ecosystem run by WAHU allow access to affordable and sustainable mobility and create fair jobs and income opportunities. The e-bikes will be set into operation for independent gig economy riders, delivery companies and other fleet operators as well as for the purpose of personal commute. The main part of the e-bike fleet will be offered under subscription (rental) schemes or in many cases “work & pay” schemes with eventual ownership by the rider.

WAHU Mobility has designed and built an electric bicycle that specifically fits the needs of the Ghanaian market. For the targeted transportation segments in Ghana (deliveries & commute), fuel-consuming motorcycles, 3-wheelers and cars are the only vehicles in use today. E-bikes will significantly lower the carbon footprint per km travelled.

The production facility for the e-bikes is located in Accra. The manufacturing value chain will start with local assembly of mainly imported parts. Local content will be enhanced over time. WAHU and its partner companies, associates and suppliers are actively promoting the local development of the EV industry including raw material sourcing, component manufacturing, battery pack production, recycling, and circularity of the process.

The job creation effect and the implementation of a socially responsible work setup is a core asset of the project model and will improve welfare and working conditions in the gig economy sector.

This project is at the forefront of the African transition to electric vehicles and sustainable transport. The resource efficiency gain of e-bikes compared to the replaced transportation options is significant even based on Ghana’s electricity grid with only around 30% of renewable sources today. Solar-powered battery swap stations and infrastructure partnerships will further improve the emission reduction results. WAHU Mobility and their partners are providing an active contribution to the development of the renewable energy infrastructure in Ghana.

WAHU Mobility is creating sustainable and circular economy processes in sourcing, production, and recycling procedures of its products and e-bike components. Innovative technologies and environmentally friendly materials are being used which puts the project into a pioneering role in the region.

The project will significantly contribute to multiple SDGs on a direct (core) level and on an indirect (target) level. These contributions include:

• SDG 5 – Gender Equality: The current gig economy is primarily male drivers because less women have driver’s licenses and there is a status quo against women motorcycle drivers. However, e-bikes provide a much better opportunity for women to access gig economy work and increase their income opportunities.

• SDG 7 – Access to affordable and clean energy: The e-bike offers a cheaper and more effective solution for Africans to transition to EVs and contributes to the efficient use of energy while displacing fossil fuel-based assets.

• SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth: Through local production, fleet expansion and creation of decent jobs with fair wages in the engineering, manufacturing and fleet operations business, the activity contributes to sustainable value creation in Africa.

• SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: The project is helping to develop sustainable transport in urban, peri-urban, and rural Ghanaian areas, by providing affordable EVs that are accessible to gig workers. In addition, the project is contributing to the battery swapping infrastructure in cities.

WAHU Mobility is a Ghanaian company creating an ecosystem for e-mobility solutions with its headquarters in Accra. With a team of experts in vehicle manufacturing, electrical and mechanical engineering, software development, and design, WAHU is dedicated to improving the way people move and has given themselves a framework as a social enterprise. These guidelines define a set of key drivers, behavioural maxims, strategic impact goals and values such as contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s), long-term mission protection and respect of human rights, ethical and environmentally friendly principles.