The conflict in the Middle East and the unpredictable fuel logistics along the Strait of Hormuz show that there has never been a better time for African countries to look inward for their mobility solutions as now.
Our latest episode of The Africa EV Show is timely in that we explore how electric vehicles (EVs) are transforming tourism in Rwanda which is quietly becoming a noteworthy electric mobility hub. Tourism is a travel-intensive sector, which means millions of liters of fuel are needed to keep it alive. But, with uncertainties like those created by the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iran, African countries, which are the hardest hit, need to cushion themselves against these shocks.
Different players and businesses are turning to EVs to cut costs, improve efficiency, and build sustainable travel experiences.
Joined by Edwidge Cyuzuzo, COO of Izuba EVs in Kigali, we break down how electric vehicles are reshaping the tourism sector in a landlocked country where fuel is expensive and logistics are complex. From lower operating costs to reduced maintenance and improved customer experience, EVs are proving to be more than just a green alternative, becoming a smart business decision.
We also examine the growing role of Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers in Africa, the expansion of charging infrastructure in Rwanda, and how partnerships across tourism, energy, and mobility are creating a new ecosystem for clean transport.
📌 Topics Covered in this Episode
- Why EVs are cheaper than petrol vehicles in Rwanda
- How electric cars are transforming tourism operations
- The role of Chinese EV brands in Africa’s mobility shift
- Charging infrastructure and EV adoption challenges
- The (future) of electric mobility in East Africa
With Rwanda pushing policies like EV incentives and clean transport targets, this conversation offers a real-world look at how Africa can reduce fuel dependency while building local, sustainable industries.
Show Notes:
- The China Global South Project: [WATCH] From Diesel to Solar: How a Nigerian School is Cutting its Energy Costs by Njenga Hakeenah
- Xinhua: Rwanda Requires 30% of Government Vehicle Procurement to be Fully Electric
- The China Global South Project: How EVs Are Slashing Tourism Costs in Rwanda by Njenga Hakeenah
About Edwidge Cyuzuzo:
Cyuzuzo R. Edwidge is a Rwandan entrepreneur and technology-driven mobility innovator, currently serving as the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Izuba EVs, a Kigali-based company focused on sustainable tourism and electric mobility solutions. With a background as a creative systems designer, Edwidge has worked at the intersection of AI solutions, business operations, and green innovation, using technology to create new job opportunities and improve service delivery. At Izuba EVs, she plays a central role in shaping the company’s strategy, overseeing operations, and building partnerships across Rwanda’s tourism and mobility sectors. Her work is driven by a commitment to clean urban transport, cost efficiency, and customer experience. Under her leadership, Izuba EVs integrates electric vehicles into tourism services—offering eco-friendly, cost-effective, and premium travel experiences in Rwanda. She is also actively involved in promoting EV adoption by demonstrating the economic advantages of electric mobility, particularly in reducing fuel costs and maintenance burdens. Cyuzuzo is part of a new generation of African business leaders leveraging sustainable technology and local innovation to address structural challenges such as energy dependence, transport inefficiencies, and environmental sustainability.
Transcript:
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Hello and welcome!
Kigali is often described as one of Africa’s cleanest and most forward-looking cities. But for businesses that depend on vehicles — especially in tourism — the reality of operating costs can be far less tidy. Rwanda is landlocked, and every litre of petrol or diesel has to travel hundreds of kilometres by road from ports in neighbouring countries before it reaches the pump. That journey adds cost, volatility and risk for anyone running a fleet.
For one tour company in Kigali, the solution has come from an unexpected direction: electric vehicles built in China. Instead of relying on fuel that must cross borders and highways before reaching Rwanda, the company is increasingly running tours on electricity — a resource that can be generated locally. The shift is changing more than just the engines under the hood. Lower fuel expenses, fewer moving parts and reduced maintenance are reshaping how the business operates and what it can charge its customers.
In today’s episode, we speak with Edwidge Cyuzuzo, a Creative Systems designer who has been developing AI Solutions to create new job opportunities. She is the COO at Izuba, a company that is offering green tourism solutions in Rwanda.
Hello Cyuzuzo and it’s great to have you on the show.
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Hello, how are you? Thank you for having me.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Very fine. And Rwanda, Kigali is heavily raining now. And so I can imagine how beautiful that is.
I love the rain. But let’s get into our conversation and probably you can give us a little bit of background on what Izuba is and what you do and why you thought about having Izuba or creating Izuba in Rwanda.
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Izuba EVs, we are a touring company, but then we focus on using electric cars more than fuel-based cars. Because first of all, we are in an evolving economy and technology is evolving and we want something that keeps the green city that we want in Rwanda. Name it during troubles, during maybe a person renting a car.
We want them to experience luxury and also keep our climate intact. So Izuba EVs is more into hospitality and transportation. We have different cars that we rent to people who came to live in Rwanda and they want a car to tour around.
Also, we give touring packages to people who came in Rwanda, even Rwandans, who just want to tour around Kigali in luxury, in peace. We create comfort and luxury while touring Rwanda and also while maintaining the environment.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Nice. That sounds very caring for the world that we are living in today, where especially now that fuel prices are crazy and unpredictable. You could be having fuel today and tomorrow not.
And if you have it, then the prices are dictated by circumstances beyond your control or our control. But what originally motivated you to use electric vehicles? And I know I’ve mentioned rising fuel costs and also the unpredictability.
And you’ve mentioned environmental concerns. But what else kind of drove you to say this is what we want to do and we want to drive electric?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: So first of all, there is a lot of things that motivated us to go for electric cars. Like I said, we love their luxurious approach and their comfortability. And we would like to have our customers enjoy a comfortable ride and a luxurious ride in the most good way that’s there.
And also another thing that motivated us to go for electric cars. It’s not just about the fuel prices skyrocketing or anything. It’s just about maintenance.
It’s about the cost of importing cars. It’s about the cost of the car actually in the first place. They have the most affordable cars that you can get.
And why would I buy a fuel-based car when there is an affordable car that has comfortability and luxurious experience and is going to track miles and everything and percentages due to how I’m using the car. So it has very good user-friendly interfaces, activities, automation. So apart from the fuel skyrocketing and going for charging and everything, its mobility and its adaptability is something that we were going for.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: And reliability, I think, is one of the biggest things that you have thought or put into consideration when doing this. But how has operating these electric vehicles changed your cost structure compared to if you had to go to a petrol station and fill up your tank?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Yes, they really changed our structure because now we even have a platform where we can see how many times it charged and how it’s going to cost in a month according to how it charged each time it went to charge. And imagine two cars, just two cars in two weeks. We spent $188 in two weeks for two cars only.
But if it was a fuel car for two cars with all the journeys it makes, it would have doubled the price.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Okay, if you can kind of give us or figure out how much $188 is in dollars?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: It’s like $100. Oh, like $100. Or $110, yeah.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: So when you compare these two cars, you’re fueling for $100 and then if it was fuel, it would be a different figure from that totally?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Yes, it would be around $500 to $600 because it makes a lot of journeys. Now, if per litre is 2k 500 random francs and probably to have a full tank, it’s around $80 to $100 which is around $60 to $70. And to fill up my electric car is just $10, $5 to $10.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: And these are some of the concerns we have been raising, especially on this show and across our platform, the China Global South Project, that African countries need to start looking inwards and not waiting for someone out there to come and help them find solutions for themselves. So if charging your car for two weeks, you can spend $100. And if you’re fueling using hydrocarbons, petrol, diesel, you will be spending five times that.
Then, I mean, why are we keeping losing this African value when we can retain it within our economies? And those are questions that we keep asking you, Cyuzuzo, when you know, we are talking about Africa and its dependence on, you know, like whatever is happening now with oil, the Strait of Hormuz is closed and we can’t get the fuel. But probably we can also talk about the vehicles that you use.
And you have a BYD and you have a Jellyfish. What are the battery capacities of these vehicles? And in comparison, how many kilometers did they cover on full charge?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: So each car has its own capacity. For BYD and Jellyfish, they’re different. But in my experience, I’d say BYD has a much better capacity and keeping power more than the Jellyfish, but they’re not that different.
It’s just like 10% different or 5% difference. So for the BYD I have, when it’s fully charged, it’s like 405 kilometers. And for the Jellyfish, it’s like 300 kilometers.
So it can walk from Kigali to Lusansi to another province. And with a lot of electric cars that are running in Kigali, in Rwanda, there’s also a lot of other charging stations across the region. So it’s not really hard.
And for a BYD, it’s charging, there is portable charging cable that they give. So when probably you went and you won’t find somewhere to charge but you’re in a house, you can plug it in to charge. Though it takes time to fully charge, it’s a slow charger.
At least you can expect to put in a few kilowatts to take you from point A to another point.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Maybe you can paint a picture for us that if I have a fast charger, if I have to go to a charging station, for the BYD, how long will it take me to charge? And if I am to charge it fully at home, how long would that take?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: For BYD and Jellyfish, they’re similar. If all electric cars are actually similar on that, they’re similar on that topic. When you charge from home, the charger you are given to charge from home is not a fast charger.
So it could take eight hours and above to fully charge. But when you go to a charging station where there is a fast charger, it could just take around 30 to 40 minutes to charge.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Oh, 30 minutes to full capacity. That’s interesting. That’s interesting.
In Kenya, where I am from, we have an EV tariff whereby if you’re charging your vehicle at night, it is cheaper than if you’re charging it during the day. And so this is also a secret for somebody who has a lot of, you know, need to use electricity, you need to iron your clothes, you need to bake, you need to do things. This is a tariff that you can latch on to at least get value for your money.
So I don’t know if Rwanda has the same kind of thing or the costs are the same.
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: In Rwanda, we don’t have anything like that. It’s my first time to hear that. Now people would be spending nights over the charging station to make sure that they do value for money.
We have a constant charging rate for all stations unless you have a discount with a charging station.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: So I think in comparison then to what we were just speaking about, is that Kenya has made really nice strides in terms of electrifying mobility. But sometimes that policy is caught up in a loop within itself because you want people to electrify but then they cannot afford these vehicles because there are like thousands of layered taxes on, you know, just getting one vehicle from China to Kenya. But anyway, that’s not what we are discussing today.
Let’s just look at the criteria guide.
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Whereas there’s a lot of tax incentives on electric mobility, in fact. There is even some which are not taxed at all, well, in the past few days. But now even the taxes that are put on there, they’re not that high.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: That’s good to hear. And I think, again, going back to Africa creating or African countries creating their own solutions, especially to strengthen their economies, then electrifying their mobility is one of them because they will be able to save the dollars that they have to spend on importing the fuel. But Chizuzu, if I may ask, what is your business model like?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Our business model, we use electric cars fully for traveling. So we book people traveling sessions. We take them to different places in Kigali, in Rwanda.
We book them apartments. We also have apartments that we partner with so that they have full access to comfortability, whether during the ride during Kigali or staying. We conduct a lot of tours in Kigali.
We show you places. We take you to places. And also we rent out cars for people who still have stigma across electric cars.
We want them to feel comfortable with using electric cars. And also with the rise of fuel disasters and everything of fuel not being enough, we actually, this is our shining moment to show them that these are the best cars. They are strong.
They can go up the hill. You know, we are around over a thousand hills. Some people are scared that, am I even going to take these in mountains?
But when we rent out the cars, they can be able to go out the hill and everything. So with that motivating them to understand how the cars work, we also motivate them to buy them, which means we’re trying to increase the accessibility and also, you know, the understanding of why electric cars are actually important for our economy, for our environment, and also make them safe to realize that these cars are in fact very good.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: And I think you have touched on some of the issues that I have in this other question on the criteria guide that you use when you’re choosing your vehicle brands. And I know you’ve mentioned about, you know, the charging, you know, the range and things like that. But are these the only ones or do you have other criteria that you use to say, we are going to settle for BYD, we are going to settle for Geely?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Okay, so first thing first, when you’re looking for an electric car, it’s really important to see its battery capacity, because an electric car is the battery. If the battery is faulty, or if the battery has issues, then your electric car is an issue. Because it doesn’t need a lot of maintenance, to be honest.
It doesn’t need a lot of maintenance, if I could say. But if the car has a very good battery capacity, then you’re good to go. And among the cars we’re using, Jellyfish and BYD, so far they have very good battery capacity.
And also it comes in making research. I can’t say that we’re limited to that. I could still explore other car brands, because it would depend on the design that we’re looking for now.
For instance, if I want a safari car and BYD or Jellyfish doesn’t have it, I’m going to have to make research on other brands. But the biggest criteria I’ll have to follow is the battery. I don’t care which brand it is.
The battery, if the battery is good, yeah.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: So reliability is the thing. And I think going back to what you mentioned about, you’re like completing an ecosystem, whereby you’re not just picking people from the airport, you’re also loading them or putting them in hotels. And if they need to move from the hotels to maybe go to the mountains or wherever, then you’re also completing that.
And looking at that as a business model, do you work with vehicle manufacturers directly or other local distributors? Are you also considering importing vehicles yourselves?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: For now, we started with using a local car distributor, Gokabisa. They’re the ones that gave us the cars we’re using now. And in the future, if we need more cars, it will depend on what type of business now we’re doing.
If we’re not getting cars for ourselves and they are for clients, maybe we can consider importing them ourselves so that we get the profit as well. But in the meantime, we really like working with dealers because they handle the taxes and everything. You just get the car, you just go and get the car.
And because we’re not in that business of importing cars and everything, so the car dealers are our best way for now.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: And then I still go back to something you mentioned earlier on, that there are increasing charging stations as we get more electrified in terms of mobility in Rwanda. And so my question was how you’re handling charging infrastructure, especially for longer safaris or cross-country routes where access may be limited. And I know you’ve mentioned that the cars come with their own charging systems, the cables, which you can just plug in to your regular socket and you charge for eight hours and then it will be fully charged.
But are you thinking of building a charging network for yourself? I know Kabisa has some charging spaces and locations across Kigali. Are you thinking of going the same way or will you rely on providers like Kabisa to just create this network across Rwanda?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: The thing is, there is a lot of business and a lot of opportunities and a lot of problem solving in this area of electric mobility. And about the charging and the charging stations, that’s not among our business services. So we will still look at Kabisa’s electric charging stations and other charging stations that are there to be installed.
For us, what we do is creating a good experience for people who come in Rwanda with electric cars.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: So that is very assuring because I know that Kabisa is also thinking, last time we spoke, they were thinking of, you know, creating an electric highway, you know, from the port of Mombasa to Kigali and probably beyond. But are you exploring partnerships with vehicle suppliers whereby you’re like, we’re going to create a solution for this electric mobility thing whereby we want to scale our operations just beyond us? I know you’ve mentioned that you’re not going into building electric charging stations, but you’ll be partnering with this.
And so that is one of the partnerships. But are there others that you’re looking to like partnering with hotels, partnering with the government, partnering with vehicle suppliers, you know, charging companies and things like that to scale your business?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Yeah, we do look at a lot of partnerships because if you can look at it, we’re the ones that meet with the customers a lot. Now, if we’ve brought a customer from Kigali to the touristic places to look at places, and they like the car and they want to buy it, if we have good partnerships with car dealers, we’re going to, you know, connect them. So it’s like we’re a channel creating a way for people to buy more cars and everything.
So yes, those partnerships are there. And we’re going to look for more partnerships so that, you know, we create an impact and also increase the level at which we can connect our people to them. And also, with hotels and government institutions, yes, we would love partnerships with them.
And we have partnerships with some hotels so far, where we pick their customers from the airport to the place. So we assure them that their guests will be taken care of and brought, you know, very comfortable cars and luxury and cost-effective. So we do look for partnerships for hotels and also do look for partnerships for government institutions.
If they have visitors in the country and they would like a ride, we would rent them a car for a month or for the period they want. And the good thing for us when we give them a car, we give them a car and then we say that each time they want to go charge, they can go charge to a specific charging stations we have partnerships with and they will not pay anything because we will pay for it. So it is a benefit as well.
And we do have partnerships and we look forward to increasing them.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Great. And I think that leasing model is also very interesting in that I get your car, then whenever I go to charge, it won’t cost me an extra. Of course, when it has been factored in the leasing cost, then maybe that kind of service that I don’t have to worry about running out of money, but I will still charge anyway.
But are you thinking of expanding beyond Kigali, beyond Rwanda?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: Not yet, but we will look into it because that would require us to have buses and e-cars, not just vehicles that we have because now we’re looking at trips that could take people from Rwanda, let’s say to Uganda, let’s say from Rwanda to Uganda to Kenya to Tanzania, something like that. So we will need more cars for that. Now when this grows, we will also pay for that.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: I think that is a very interesting approach whereby we are traveling a lot more within Africa and then via road because it is possible, it is affordable, it is available. And I think the numbers then will have to grow and we wish you all the best in your expansion plans. But looking ahead, what are the possible barriers that you see in the whole electrification space, especially for the sector that you’re in, that is tourism?
EDWIDGE CYUZUZO: So for the sector that we’re in of tourism, the issue that would be there would be accessibility of charging stations. If you looked at going to those places and going across Africa, we wouldn’t be sure that if we reached in Uganda, we’re going to get charging stations. But what we’re going to do, we’re going to make research and know where all charging stations are and maybe mark them.
And even the increasing of electric cars in Africa, I think that’s going to be solved. I think that will not be a problem of 2030.
NJENGA HAKEENAH: Wow, that is a very beautiful projection that we don’t have to worry about some of these things in 2030. So yeah, thank you so much Chizuzo for your time and for allowing us to just pick some of the insights that you’ve shared. And what’s happening in Kigali offers a glimpse of how electric mobility could evolve in parts of Africa where fuel costs are structurally high and logistics are complicated.
For a tour company operating in a landlocked country, the equation is simple. Every kilometre driven on electricity is one less litre of fuel that is imported. But as we’ve heard today, the transition isn’t just about replacing engines, it’s about building an ecosystem from reliable vehicle suppliers and charging access to partnerships with hotels, energy providers and even governments.
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers have become part of that equation, offering models that are affordable enough for businesses to experiment with while still meeting operational demands. The biggest story may be what comes next. As fleets expand and charging networks improve, electric tour vehicles could become a competitive advantage, lowering costs, reducing emissions and offering travellers a cleaner way to experience Rwanda’s landscape.
We’ll be watching closely to see how this model evolves, not just in Kigali but across East Africa where tourism, transport and energy are all undergoing quiet change. Thanks for listening and thanks for watching and if you enjoyed this episode be sure to follow the show and share it with someone interested in the future of mobility in African countries. My name is Njenga Hakeenah and my guest has been Edwidge Cyuzuzo, the COO of Izuba EVs in Kigali, Rwanda.
Do have a wonderful time and see you again soon.
