Roam has taken another step forward in the development of sustainable transport. The mobility start-up has just opened a new factory in Nairobi. Covering an area of 10,000 square metres, the facility is billed as the largest of its kind in East Africa, with an annual production capacity of 50,000 electric motorbikes.
In addition to production, it will also enable the thousands of boda boda (petrol-powered motorbike taxis) currently circulating in the Kenyan capital to be converted to electric power, thereby reducing the atmospheric pollution they generate. Nairobi ranks fifth in the Serbian platform Numbeo’s ranking of the most polluted African cities in the first half of 2023.
“This plant illustrates Kenya’s potential as a leader in clean transport solutions on the continent. It is therefore an initiative that fits perfectly with our national objectives of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions”, said the President of the Republic, William Ruto, who attended the inauguration ceremony for Roam’s new plant. The company, headed by Filip Lövström, is relying on green energy to power the batteries in its e-motorbikes.
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These machines, known as “Roam Air”, feature a dual battery system. They can reach speeds of 90 km/hour and are capable of carrying a load of 220 kilograms. In 2022, Roam has announced that they will be marketed in Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is part of an agreement with American mobility giant Uber.
Benoit-Ivan Wansi