Electric motorcycles are beginning to gain traction within the local and global scene - a fact that has seen local electric company, Opibus, bring them to the Kenyan market.
As opposed to normal electric motorcycles which can cost an average of Ksh4.5 million, the Opibus motorbikes will cost around Ksh146,081.
According to the company, the reason behind introducing the bikes to the Kenyan market is aimed at enhancing electric mobility.
"Our mission to implement electric mobility in emerging markets," read an excerpt from the company's site.
In order to lower cost, the company focused on the features as opposed to a flashy outlook that many manufacturers have chosen to sell. The motorbikes can arrive at a top speed of 90km/h in just five seconds. Further, the bikes have a peak torque of 12 brake horsepower (BHP) and can travel up to 201 kilometres on a full charge.
The bike's capacity is powered by two 2.9 kilowatt-hour battery packs which take around four hours to fully charge from a 240-volt plug socket.
Further, the battery pack can be swapped for a fully-charged unit in about ten seconds. At the front, is a locking storage bin that looks like a fuel tank. The bin is effective for carrying heavy loads of up to 150 kilograms.
Apart from the functionality aspect, the motorcycles still incorporated some elements of modern technology by using a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) headlight as well as a digital gauge cluster
According to Opibus, the bikes are set to be rolled out in other African countries in 2022.
Electric vehicles are becoming popular within the Nairobi market, with surveys indicating that more than 300 electric vehicles have arrived in Kenya as of 2019.
Recently, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) launched a similar bike project in Nairobi and Kisumu counties.
UNEP's Head of Sustainable Mobility, Rob de Jong stated that the project, which began with 49 e-bikes, was expected to expand in an effort to reduce air pollution and improve national energy security.
