Jakob Hornbach: Electrifying the Last Mile in East Africa

The "boda boda", the ubiquitous motorcycle taxi, is the pulse of Kampala. With over 130,000 riders in the Ugandan capital alone, these taxis provide essential mobility, but at a high cost of noise, pollution, and crippling fuel expenses. Jakob Hornbach, a German-Ugandan mechanical engineer who moved to Uganda in 2017, recognised this as a systemic opportunity for a green transition. Together with his Ugandan partner Ben Lokeris Koriang, Hornbach founded Bodawerk, now rebranded as GOGO Electric, with a mission to build a sustainable, vertically integrated e-mobility ecosystem for Africa.

The journey began with the founders literally building their own offices and experimenting with various battery applications, from electric wheelchairs to outboard motors. However, the strategic pivot toward motorcycles was driven by the sheer scale of the market and the potential for social impact. Hornbach realised that for e-mobility to work in the informal sector, it had to be more profitable than petrol. Today, GOGO Electric operates a nationwide "Battery-as-a-Service" model that removes the high upfront cost of electric vehicles, allowing riders to save up to 40% on operational expenses and increase their net daily income by 30%.

Technically, GOGO Electric is a powerhouse of localised engineering. Their flagship vehicle, the EV-150, is specifically designed for the steep hills and heavy loads of East Africa. It features a proprietary 2kW brushless DC motor and a unique 4-speed gearbox with a wet clutch, a rarity in electric vehicles that allows riders to manage torque effectively when carrying payloads of up to 250 kilograms. To support these bikes, GOGO has established a semi-automated factory in Kampala capable of producing 60,000 lithium-ion batteries annually. These "IoT-fied" battery packs are equipped with GPS tracking and cloud connectivity, enabling real-time monitoring of battery health and predictive maintenance.

The backbone of GOGO's success is its Renewable Energy Distribution Infrastructure (REDI), the largest swap station network in East Africa. With over 130 stations stretching from Masaka to Iganga, the network eliminates "range anxiety". A rider can swap a depleted battery for a fully charged one in under two minutes, ensuring zero downtime during a busy workday. By leveraging Uganda’s renewable-heavy grid, which is over 90% renewable, GOGO is decarbonising transport at the source.

As of mid-2025, GOGO's fleet has logged over 50 million kilometres and offset more than 3,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The company has grown to over 360 employees, with a strong focus on technical skill-building for Ugandans. Backed by significant investments from ElectriFI and partnerships with Watu Credit, Jakob Hornbach is scaling GOGO to reach 10,000 bike sales by the end of 2025. GOGO Electric is more than just a bike company; it is a blueprint for inclusive, green industrialisation on the African continent.

Lessons for Budding Makers

Jakob Hornbach's journey offers valuable insights for aspiring creators and entrepreneurs:

1. Design for Performance, Not Just Sustainability: GOGO's bikes succeeded because they were engineered with 4-speed gearboxes to handle actual African payloads, proving that "green" products must outperform their "brown" competitors to achieve market fit.
2. Vertical Integration is Key in Frontier Markets: In environments with weak infrastructure, entrepreneurs often need to build the entire value chain, from battery manufacturing to the charging network, to ensure the reliability and scalability of their solution.