Some Impressive News From Kenya’s Growing Electric Motorcycle Sector

Several Kenya-based firms have done a magnificent job of building the country’s electric motorcycle  industry from scratch starting about 7 years ago. After going through the various stages of early pilots, further pilots, multiple iterations, and pivots, a number of them found the sweet spot and then graduated into early commercialization phases of their products. These firms had to dig deep in their research and development phases to produce electric motorcycles that can manage the demands of the boda boda industry and at the same time handle the local terrain as well as rough road conditions. This is because for their products to take off, they really needed to make products that are robust enough to match or exceed the fossil-fueled products that are currently on the market.

That meant they could not just bring off-the-shelf products and components from overseas, but they really had to adapt their designs for these conditions. After that, the next thing was to show that these new electric motorcycles had a lower total cost of ownership. Then the next step was to forge strategic partnerships with partners that are already in the distribution and financing ecosystem for traditional motorcycles. This would unlock important channels that align with their route to market strategies.

All their efforts are starting to pay off now, as Kenya’s electric motorcycle sales seem to be taking off. In 2023, there were 70,691 motorcycles sold in Kenya. 2,557 of these were electric. That means 3.6% of motorcycles sold in 2023 in Kenya were electric. That is almost 4%. So, we did not expect it to be long before the market share reached the critical 5%, which is generally viewed as the tipping point indicating the start of mass adoption. The share of electric motorcycles rose to 3.6% in 2023 from 2.8% in 2022 and 0.5% in 2021. 2024 was even better — market share surged to 7.1%. The KNBS Economic Survey Report (2025) shows that 68,804 new motorcycles were registered Kenya in 2024. Of these, 4,862 motorcycles were electric according to data presented by the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya (EMAK). That is where the 7.1% market share comes from.

Several firms are already positioning themselves for an even bigger 2025. One of these firms is ARC Ride. ARC Ride, an e-mobility battery-as-a-service (BaaS) provider, recently announced $5 million of financing from British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, to provide affordable, reliable, and clean e-mobility solutions for rapidly developing cities in Kenya.

E-mobility is crucial to Kenya’s climate goals. Kenya is aiming for a low-carbon transport system by 2030. The transport sector, responsible for 13% of Kenya’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, sees electric vehicles (EVs) as key to reducing emissions and improving air quality.

However, due to limited access to charging facilities and appropriate financing solutions, EV adoption has been slow. ARC Ride is addressing this challenge by providing affordable and user-friendly BaaS solutions. The company has already installed 170 charging stations in Nairobi. This reduces the upfront cost of electric two-wheelers (E2Ws) and enables quicker battery swaps.

BII’s financing will enable ARC Ride’s initial rollout of 5,000 E2Ws and accelerate the expansion of E2W BaaS infrastructure. By building Africa’s first and largest automated battery swapping network, it is also establishing the industry standard for battery swapping of E2Ws both for ARC Ride and other manufacturers, which is important for more EV adoption. Remember that about 4,800 electric motorcycles were sold in Kenya last year across all operators. So, ARC Ride making 5,000 electric motorcycles available will give the sector a massive boost! Now imagine if, say, five players out of the over thirty players in Kenya’s electric motorcycle sector also push to add 5,000 electric motorcycles in the next 2 years or so. We could be getting 25,000 electric motorcycles per year in the medium term! Back to ARC Ride: ARC Ride says the move to add 5,000 electric motorcycles will directly result in over 100,000 metric tonnes of CO2 per year being saved as electric mobility replaces petrol motorbikes.

Daniel Wilcox, Economic Counsellor, British High Commission Nairobi, said: “There is enormous potential for green manufacturing in Kenya to drive economic growth and job creation. The UK is a long-term partner for long term growth in Kenya — and this investment will support Kenya’s climate ambitions, support hardworking Kenyans and their jobs, make Nairobi not only a healthier place to live, and a more attractive place to do business. This investment compliments the UK’s effort in supporting the decarbonisation of the Nairobi transport systems — long may Nairobi remain the green city in the sun!”

Seema Dhanani, Head of Office, Kenya and Coverage Director, East Africa at BII said: “In Kenya, a Boda Boda is more than just a motorbike; it’s a crucial part of the transportation system, helping millions of people to commute. That is why electrifying Boda Bodas is essential for creating a green and sustainable future for the country. As the UK’s DFI, we are backing modern technology and innovative companies such as ARC Ride to accelerate the transition and have a transformative impact on people and the planet.”

Joseph Hurst, CEO of ARC Ride, said: “This strategic partnership between ARC Ride and BII marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to expand scale and expand our Pan African footprint. Together, we will ensure millions of clean kilometres will be driven. Putting more money in the pockets of our riders whilst protecting the environment.”

To show just how much traction the electric mobility industry has got in Kenya now, Roam, the Nairobi-based electric mobility manufacturer, has been named Kenya’s fastest-growing company and among Africa’s top 40 in the 2025 Financial Times and Statista ranking of Africa’s Fastest Growing Companies. The firm placed 35th overall on the continent — the highest among 11 Kenyan businesses on the list — and emerged as the leading electric mobility manufacturer featured.

Compiled by the Financial Times and data firm Statista, the ranking assessed over 130 companies across Africa based on their compound annual growth rate (CAGR) and absolute revenue growth between 2020 and 2023. Roam posted an 86.4% CAGR and 547.8% revenue growth, solidifying its position at the forefront of Africa’s clean technology movement.

Founded in 2017, Roam designs and manufactures electric motorcycles and buses tailored for African markets. In recent years, the company has launched Roam Hubs — charging and battery rental stations — in Nairobi, Kiambu, and Machakos counties; partnered with ride-hailing platforms like Uber and Bolt to make electric motorcycles more accessible for boda boda riders; and collaborated with Italy’s Energica to advance local EV engineering. Roam also completed a record-setting 6,000-kilometre electric journey from Nairobi to Stellenbosch in 2024, positioning Africa as a rising hub of innovation.

Roam’s appearance on the FT list places it ahead of prominent Kenyan firms, including M-KOPA, a digital asset financing platform and key Roam partner, and Quickmart Supermarket, which collaborates with Roam on charging infrastructure expansion. Others featured include Victory Farms, TPS Serena Hotels, KCB Group, and Co-operative Bank. This year’s ranking reflects a shift toward more diversified economic growth in Kenya. While fintech and traditional sectors remain strong, Roam’s hardware-first, impact-focused business model highlights the continent’s growing capacity in advanced manufacturing and climate tech. Kenya ranked third overall in company representation, behind South Africa and Nigeria.

Roam’s success also comes amid a global contraction in venture capital funding and rising macroeconomic headwinds. Its steady growth bucks the trend that has challenged high-profile African startups like Jumia and Gro Intelligence in recent years, reinforcing investor confidence in Kenya’s clean energy and industrial potential.

Habib Lukaya, Roam’s Field Operations Manager: “This recognition is not just a milestone for Roam—it is a moment of pride for Kenya. It shows that local manufacturing can thrive, creating jobs and delivering affordable, high-quality electric motorcycles made in Kenya, for Africa. We are building an industry, and with this momentum, we are expanding our footprint to reach more riders and communities across the continent.”

So, we can say it’s been a good week for Kenya’s electric mobility sector. I’m sure we will keep getting these kinds of developments and even bigger ones in the near future.