Fossil fuel could be an ancient form of fueling motor vehicles in the future. This may seem impossible, especially as our population continues to grow and our needs become more. However, motor vehicle companies are considering the needs of the planet in an effort to mitigate climate change through low emission strategies. Considering the ease motorcycles provide when travelling from point A to B, the number of motorcycle users will definitely increase. It’s already rising as they become more reliable.

Ducati, an Italian motorcycle group of companies, is working on the production of an electric motorcycle. Ducati CEO, Claudio Domenicali, during an event in Spain on launching the electric motorcycle, stated: “the future is electric.” This is indeed true and no one wants to be left behind, more so for an upmarket and iconic motorcycle manufacturer.

Ducati is the latest motorcycle manufacturers to join the EV movement. Last year, the popular American motorcycle brand, Harley-Davidson, announced the production of their first electric motorcycle, LiveWire, which will be launched in August of 2019 which has already begun pre-sales. Zero Motorcycles and Lightning Motorcycles in California are also popular electric motorcycle brands that solely focus on EV technology and are developing amazing motorcycles built for the urban lifestyle. Another Italian company, Energica, has been producing electric sports bikes for years reaching up to a high performance 240 kph models.

It is important to note Ducati is not new to the electric vehicle movement. They first began with the production of several electric bicycles in collaboration with partners. In 2016, they released a concept video of the Ducati Zero which was developed by a Milan school of polytechnic design. A concept is basically the model of a version that may or may not be placed in the production and manufacturing line.

The era of electric motorcycles is thus inevitable. Motorcycle manufacturers continue to research on ways in which they can increase power, speed and range boost to offset the thrills of a fuel powered motorcycle and still make it affordable. Ducati will not be pursuing a new market but will be a step ahead of their competitors such as Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki among other brands.

Currently, the most affordable electric motorcycle is the CSC City Slicker which goes for $2,500. The future is indeed electric. It has already begun.

What do we need to do now as we embrace this new technology?

Charging stations should be the next agenda. Just like petrol stations, this should become a priority every kilometre. This is important to support the aid in the importation of electric motorcycles as we embrace clean energy and take part in Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action. There is also the need for Kenya’s universities and technical schools to be up to date with this new electric technology. We can even develop our own electric motorcycles to offset the market needs.

Our roads need to be more accommodative to motorcycle riders. The culture that has diminished motorcycle riders in the country where in some instances motorcycle riders can even be shoved off the road should be looked into. We need to create a driving culture for all types of motorists to respect each other on our roads.