The electric mobility market is booming in Kenya. The French-Kenyan start-up Stima, which specialises in battery swapping technology, recently signed an agreement with two companies for the deployment of electric motorbike solutions in the city of Nairobi. The first is the financial company Mogo, whose leasing system will allow Kenyan drivers to acquire their own motorbikes by paying weekly instalments.
The agreement also involves the Estonian mobility company Bolt, which is developing “Bolt Food”. This electronic delivery platform
allows passengers to earn extra income after each order for goods or services. According to Stima, the initiative will “support the transition to green mobility for sustainable cities” and avoid 90% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in Kenya compared to thermal vehicles.
This partnership is not insignificant. In August 2022, Stima partnered with Indian electric motorbike manufacturer OneElectric to deploy 3,000 electric motorbikes in Kenya. “After working in several African markets for over a year, testing the products with Stima in Nairobi, assessing local conditions and riding habits, we were able to produce a motorbike that can meet regional demand with a metal body, the high-powered motor and long-life batteries,” said Gaurav Uppal, CEO of One Electric.
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Stima’s investment comes at a time when Kenya’s air pollution is a major concern. To curb the impact of this phenomenon on the health of the population and to improve air quality, the start-up BasiGo recently announced that it was going to train numerous young people and social actors in green mobility in order to develop a sustainable transport system in this East African country. The training, which starts in January 2023, will be provided in partnership with the Advanced Mobility Academy based in Nairobi.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi