Constant K. is 42 years old and lives with his wife and five children. Constant was one of Zembo’s first drivers. He tested the new bikes and voted on the market name ‘Storm’. He still owned his fuel-based motorcycle at the time and was able to compare the two bikes in real-world conditions.
Before becoming a tester with Zembo, Constant was satisfied with his old Boxer motorcycle. However, he soon noticed how much cheaper it is to rely on batteries instead of fuel. He also realized that with Zembo there was no need to change the oil every two weeks as it does not even need oil in the first place. Additionally, the tires in the electric motorcycle are tubeless and it does not have chains, which become faulty with time and require straightening, maintenance and eventually changing. The Zembo bike is even easier to clean and looks better, in his opinion.
Constant decided to buy the Zembo motorcycle and he is glad that it’s helping him to save money. During the coronavirus outbreak, when business came to a complete stop, he thankfully relied on the money he had saved from not consuming fuel anymore.
His customers seem to enjoy the new ride as it is less noisy and more comfortable. He is also satisfied with the charging stations as he just has to go to one of them, hand in the empty batteries, take new charged ones, pay and leave. He believes it’s simpler than owning batteries that are expensive. Constant looks forward to Zembo growing bigger and increasing the number of charging stations, which will expand his range of mobility.
If I was using fuel, I would spend 12000-15000 shillings a day. With Zembo I use batteries that only cost 7000-8000 a day, which means I have extra money in my pocket.
Geoffrey N. has been a motorcyclist for the past nine years. He is 35 years old and lives with his wife and three children.
When Geoffrey first heard of the Zembo electric motorcycle and how it did not require any fuel, he immediately decided to get it. He made the decision because he realized he will save more than 50% on what he was spending on fuel every week. He was able to purchase the bike by taking a loan from Zembo and paying it off gradually.
Before buying the Zembo motorcycle, Geoffrey used to drive a Bajaj Boxer. The Boxer required frequentoil changes and constant maintenance. He no longer worries about this now that he is a Zembo boda rider. He also feels his new motorcycle is safer, less noisy and more comfortable for the customers.
Geoffrey’s life has changed a great deal ever since he bought the Zembo motorcycle. Geoffrey now has to simply drive to a charging station, give the employee the used empty batteries, get fully charged ones, pay and leave.
I really like it now. Everyone is proud of me and I am also doing well. I no longer spend much money.
When the coronavirus lockdown happened, it was very hard for Geoffrey and his family. Carrying passengers was banned and he had to rely on deliveries to make ends meet. He is very thankful that Zembo paused the loans for the motorcycles during this period, which relieved some of the pressure. Geoffrey feels that Zembo really listens to and cares about its customers.
Geoffrey lives outside of Kampala, where there are no charging stations. He hopes Zembo stations will expand outside of the city so he can expand his service area closer to home. He would also like stations to stay open longer and to see more service centers.
John Bosco S. is a 26 year old boda boda driver living in Kampala with his two brothers. John Bosco first learned about the Zembo motorcycle from a friend. He was impressed by the fact it did not make any noise and he liked that it did not consume fuel or oil.
John Bosco decided to save up some money and buy his own Zembo motorcycle. He is currently driving his boda on a loan basis until the full payment is complete, then it will become his.
All that changed when he switched to the electric solution offered by Zembo.
The new Zembo motorcycle relies on rechargeable batteries that can be paid for via mobile money, which is very convenient. Charging station staff take his empty battery and replace it with a fully charged one, using an app to scan the batteries and the mileage. The entire transaction takes only a few minutes. Zembo also provides him with a spare bike if his needs to go in for repairs and he has a two-year warranty.
John Bosco is happy with his Zembo bike. His income has significantly increased due to the money he saves, and the customers feel safer with the new motorcycle that does not make the same noises as before.
During the panedemic, John Bosco was not severely impacted as he was still able to drive for his boss. But the health crisis restrictions imposed some challenges as he was driving much less, leading idle batteries to lose power more quickly, and some charging stations had to close or reduce their hours.
Zembo made an effort to support its drivers during the lockdown and John Bosco was granted 50,000 shillings from Zembo during this period.
Even the customer himself when seated on it feels good. It doesn’t make noise; the customer is comfortable.
The motorcycle he previously drove was a TVS Star. In addition to the cost of filling the motorcycle with fuel, the oil change cost him 10,000-16,000 shillings every two weeks. Maintenance concerns, like a breakdown in the engine or faulty crutches, also caused trips to the garage. However, John Bosco was satisfied with the motorcycle because he thought it to be better than other options.
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