The race for adoption of electric mobility is picking up in Kenya and the latest player to make moves in this sector is STIMA in partnership with Indian electric motorcycle manufacturer OneElectric. Another player, Roam Electric, plans to introduce electric motorcycles in Kenya this year starting with Western Kenya.
STIMA is a battery swapping technology specialist that has announced plans to deploy 3,000 rechargeable electric motorcycles in Kenya. The company has partnered with OneElectric to build the bikes in the first phase.
This partnership takes advantage of OneElectric’s high-performing and premium electric motorcycles with STIMA’s instant recharge infrastructure that can be deployed at a large scale.
“The partnership with OneElectric takes advantage of their high-quality and very strong electric motorcycles and enables STIMA to bring its battery swapping technology and innovative software services to the Kenyan market on a national scale,” STIMA co-founder and chief executive officer (CEO) Jason Gras said.
This partnership will help both companies deploy the most scalable model of electric 2-wheeler mobility tailored to African markets.
Through the partnership, STIMA and One Electric will:
- Deploy 3,000 One Electric motorcycles for moto-taxi riders in Kenya in initial phase
- Scale the STIMA network of smart battery swap stations in Kenyan cities
- Expand the partnership across Africa to enable the 20 million riders on the continent to switch to greener and more cost-effective electric motorcycles.
“After working in the African market for more than a year, testing products with STIMA in Nairobi, and evaluating the local conditions and riding habits, we were able to produce a motorcycle which can meet Africa’s demand. Heavy duty chassis, long-lasting and durable suspension, metal body, high power motor, and long life battery packs are well suited for delivering a long life for these bikes,” One Electric CEO Gaurav Uppal said.
STIMA chief technology officer (CTO) Emile Fulcheri adds: “The need for energy infrastructure investment for electric mobility in Africa is in the range of billions. We are building the required tailored technologies and business models that will ensure these investments are profitable and the most scalable.”
OneElectric has already supplied 30 electric motorcycles that will be deployed in the Kenyan market in the coming weeks.