The Ministry of Infrastructure has announced plans to convert vehicles that use petroleum products (petrol and diesel) into ones powered by electricity or gas, similar to what is already being done with motorcycles.
This was revealed by the Senior Technical Advisor in charge of transport at the Ministry of Infrastructure, Byiringiro Alfred, who stated that MININFRA is currently in discussions with various companies to support this initiative.
He explained that they are in talks with two international companies that have demonstrated that converting petrol- or diesel-powered vehicles into electric or gas-powered ones is possible, with the next step being pilot testing.
He said, “We have held discussions with two international companies regarding this program. One from Poland showed us that petrol or diesel vehicles can be converted to run on gas, and another from Turkey demonstrated how they can be converted into electric vehicles. The next step is to begin pilot testing and assess the results.”
Byiringiro noted that the plan to convert vehicles to run on gas had initially been expected to start earlier, but was delayed due to limited gas supply. He added that once gas extraction from Lake Kivu begins, the government will allow private investors to move forward with the initiative.
Rwanda is implementing strategies to reduce the number of vehicles that rely on petroleum products, prioritizing the adoption of electric vehicles. This move aims to address rising fuel prices and reduce emissions that contribute to environmental pollution.
Byiringiro emphasized that electric vehicles could be a solution to these challenges, which is why there is ongoing consideration of converting petrol and diesel vehicles, as has already started with motorcycles.
He added that so far, 85 motorcycles that previously used petrol have been converted to electric by installing batteries.
MININFRA recently directed public institutions to ensure that 30% of the vehicles they procure are electric.
Since 2020, the Government of Rwanda has been promoting the adoption of electric vehicles as part of efforts to combat air pollution and reduce dependence on imported fuel, especially amid global price increases driven by conflicts in different parts of the world.
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