More Companies In Kenya Adopting Electric Motorcycles For Deliveries

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The move towards electric vehicles in Africa, especially in the electric motorcycle sector, has mainly been driven by the private sector, led by small startups. Most of the developments have been concentrated along what is now known as the “boda belt” of countries on the African map where motorcycle taxis are prominent. This belt stretches from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to the outskirts of Dakar, Senegal. There is also significant activity in North African countries such as Morocco, where smaller scooters are used mainly for personal transportation, unlike in East Africa and West Africa, where most of the activity is for commercial transport purposes.

Along this boda belt, it is not just the motorcycle taxi sector that is getting attention. The B2B side, for on-demand deliveries, is also starting to gain some traction. In Kenya, for example, we are starting to see more companies adopting electric motorcycles for their delivery services. Recently, Roam and Greenspoon partnered to offer sustainable deliveries and support local farms. Greenspoon customers now get orders in under 99 minutes with the Roam Air electric motorcycle, down from 3 hours.

Electric motorcycles can replace ICE vehicles in several applications. For example, a lot of companies across several industries use internal combustion engine motorcycles in their service delivery as well as larger petrol and diesel powered vehicles. One of these sectors is the telecommunication industry. Let’s take a look at the fibre-to-home segment. Internet service providers (ISPs) have multiple crews of field technicians that travel around cities for both new installations and general service and maintenance calls. A lot of these callouts could be comfortably done by one technician with a small toolbox of tools and accessories. This can easily be done using a motorcycle instead of a big diesel van. In an exciting development, Roam has recently partnered with Syokinet Solutions in Kenya.

There is more good news. This week, Roam and BBROOD launched Kenya’s first fully sustainable bread delivery service advancing the city’s clean transportation initiatives. Roam will also help BBROOD deliver unsold bread to charity using Roam Air motorcycles. BBROOD has always had a strong sustainability focus. For example, the company recycles its flour bags into durable biodegradable bags, sold in shops to promote sustainability and support charity initiatives. These bags are sold in BBROOD’s shops across Kenya, Uganda, and the Netherlands, promoting sustainability and reducing waste.

BBROOD, the renowned artisan bakery, will also work with Roam to push its sustainability agenda while facilitating the donation of unsold bread to Don Bosco Missions Kenya, a charity organization empowering young people. BBROOD ensures that all its products are fresh, baked overnight, and distributed early each morning. Unsold bread and pastries are returned to the bakery at the end of the day and collected the next morning by Don Bosco. Through this collaboration, Roam’s electric motorcycle, the Roam Air, will help deliver these donations, extending BBROOD’S charitable reach with a sustainability-focused approach.

Roam Air’s innovative design, featuring a dual removable battery system and 160 km range of range, will enable uninterrupted fresh bread deliveries while furthering BBROOD’s commitment to sustainability and charitable impact.

Here are the specs of the new Roam Air:

• Battery Capacity: 2 x 3.24 kWh
• Range (Dual Battery): 160 km
• Nominal Power: 3000 W
• Top Speed: 90 km/h
• Payload: 220 kg
• Weight (Single Battery): 135 kg
• Charging Time: 4 h

Features:

• Removable dual battery solution
• Driving modes: Eco, Standard, Power, Sports, Reverse
• Increased carrying capacity on subframe
• State-of-the-art software and onboard telemetry
• Storage compartment in tank
• Improved screen user interface with better visibility
• USB charging port

“Our partnership with Roam perfectly aligns with our sustainability mission as Roam Air helps us reduce emissions and ensures that our freshly baked sourdough bread is delivered efficiently,” Diana Mulandi, Operations Manager at BBROOD Kenya, remarked. “Their technical support gives us the confidence to focus on our core business—providing the best-handcrafted bread to our customers.”

“We are excited about this transformative collaboration with BBROOD,” Elijah Gakomo, Sales Executive at Roam, commented. “This will support our joined vision towards achieving clean transport and signal a significant shift in Nairobi’s delivery landscape, making sustainable delivery accessible to more businesses.”

Images courtesy of Roam