Kenyan instructor makes use of previous laptop computer batteries to energy bikes

Paul Waweru goes purchasing.

He is on the hunt for previous laptop computer batteries. They price him simply KSH 50 ($0.50) per piece, however this Kenyan highschool physics instructor has discovered an progressive use for the waste product.

They may energy bikes. After he collects the gadgets from sellers in Nairobi, he takes the haul again to his workshop.

Right here, he kinds them, dividing the working cells from these which aren’t working.

Waweru then assembles them right into a battery that can be utilized to energy electrical motorbikes. He was impressed to give you this innovation after working into hassle with a motorcycle he’d purchased.

“No one was promoting electrical bikes in Kenya, so I needed to import one,” he explains.

“It got here with some batteries generally known as lead acid. Then, after a couple of months, the batteries had been not working due to the expertise. I used to be once more grounded, I may not go to my office as a result of, after all, my bike was not working. So, by means of my ingenuity, by means of my innovation, I used to be ready now to supply for low-cost batteries and that’s how I ended up bumping into laptop computer batteries.”

He is based an organization known as Ecomobilus to produce his laptop-battery powered bikes.

He collects frames from previous motorbikes, removes the engines and replaces them with a battery and a motor to propel the bike.

They run on a 60V direct present. The batteries take hours to cost however can take 45 minutes if on a quick charger.

A totally charged battery can journey a distance of as much as 100 kilometres. He says his invention compares very nicely to conventional motorbikes.

“Ecomobilus bikes are extra advantageous in comparison with different gasoline powered bikes. Primary, due to the price of upkeep. Ecomobilus bikes require zero upkeep as a result of there are not any mechanical elements that should be repaired each typically, we give it at the least two years for providers as a result of the engines are not there, we’re coping with motors,” he says.

“Quantity two, the charging as in comparison with the fuelling is far, a lot (extra) reasonably priced. For a full cost, we’re saying we’re utilizing lower than $3 and for a similar for the bodabodas (referring to motorcycle taxis), they find yourself spending greater than $7 a day to run the identical bike. So, cost-wise, this could be less expensive, and quantity two, by way of upkeep, this will likely be very, very straightforward to take care of.

Couriers and supply drivers

They’re getting used across the metropolis by couriers and supply drivers.

Some say they’re saving cash since ditching petrol (gasoline) fuelled bikes for these electrical variations.

“The opposite one was costly by way of gasoline, by way of time however with the electrical one, it consumes much less time it’s environment friendly, I save on gasoline I don’t use gasoline anymore. I solely eat 200 ($2) on tokens and am good for the remainder of the day,” says driver John Mwangi.

He has been utilizing the bike for round six months.

In addition they get a seal of approval from Dennis Wakaba, an electrical mobility specialist.

“Having new batteries provides you longer life in an electrical automobile, however using secondary battery could be very important, particularly within the play of local weather change mitigation. On this manner, to begin with, you save the processes which might be concerned within the manufacture, meeting delivery of latest batteries. So, undoubtedly, you might be saving loads of emissions coming from these processes,” he says.

“The opposite one is to do with rising the variety of electrical automobiles by means of ensuring that secondary batteries can go into conversions of bikes and different electrical automobiles. Right here we’re going now to cut back air air pollution, by means of tailpipe emissions from inside combustion engines, which now do not must be purchased. The opposite manner is noise air pollution, which undoubtedly when now we have much less noise air pollution, we enhance the well-being of the folks.”

Not solely do they assist the surroundings, the batteries are straightforward to supply in Kenya, so they’re long run choice for residents who have to get round.