From Infrastructure to Impact: Spiro’s Approach to Electric Vehicles, Local Jobs, and Energy Access in Africa with Kaushik Burman
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In this edition, recorded during Morocco Energy Week, we speak with Kaushik Burman, Chief Executive of Spiro Electric Motorcycles, a company working to expand electric mobility across Africa.
Kaushik Burman is based in Dubai and brings over 20 years of experience in the energy and mobility sectors. Before joining Spiro, he held senior roles at Gogoro, leading its entry into markets such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Korea and India. He also spent several years at Shell in a variety of leadership positions across Europe and Asia. His academic background includes degrees from INSEAD, the Harvard Kennedy School, the University College of Engineering in Hyderabad, and FMS Delhi.
Under Kaushik’s leadership, Spiro is working to build a practical, scalable electric mobility solution for Africa. By deploying battery swap stations and using locally available energy sources, the company aims to make electric vehicles more accessible and affordable for everyday use. At the same time, Spiro is investing in local skills through Spiro Academy, which offers training in electric vehicle maintenance and operations. Their efforts have recently been recognised at the FT Live Africa Sustainable Futures Awards.
Key discussion points with Kaushik Burman:
- How Spiro is working with communities and partners for site deployment and energy solutions
- The role of solar and hybrid energy in rural battery swap stations
- How battery swapping is improving affordability and access
- Vision, accessibility, and training partnerships with TVETs and universities
- The evolving role of local factories as training hubs and innovation centers
- The number of trained individuals and the ripple effects on livelihoods
- How Spiro-certified technicians are expected to drive the EV ecosystem across Africa
Connect with Kaushik Burman at Kaushik Burman
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