Roam goes solar to expand EV charging

From the newsletter

Kenyan electric motorcycle company Roam announced plans to establish 10 new solar-powered charging stations. This initiative is in partnership with ENERGICA, an EU-supported program promoting innovative energy solutions. The collaboration seeks to reduce energy costs by 30%–45% per kWh.

• The solar project aims to handle 400–500 daily transactions for battery charging and rentals in each of the new solar charging stations.

• The stations will feature an open architecture design for interoperability with various electric motorcycle brands.

More details

• The initiative aims to address three critical challenges: Charging interoperability, the high cost of electricity in Kenya and its limited availability in rural Africa. A recent Mobility Rising study identified Kenya and South Africa as having the highest residential electricity prices in the region.

• The project’s focus is on solar power and interoperability, allowing users of e-bikes from various manufacturers to access the charging network. The design supports seamless compatibility, addressing a major barrier to e-motorcycle adoption: access to reliable, flexible charging infrastructure.

• Similar initiatives are emerging across Africa. In Zambia, an energy company, Engie, has already deployed a 100 kW solar mini-grid, with battery charging and swap stations now operational.

• Other electric motorcycle companies are also partnering with renewable energy providers to address Africa's unreliable, expensive, and fossil fuel-dependent grids. For instance, Ampersand has teamed up with CrossBoundary to deliver solar charging solutions for its electric two-wheelers.

• In South Africa, a charging infrastructure developer has partnered with the government to implement off-grid charging solutions in KwaZulu-Natal. The Zero Carbon Charge initiative will invest $513 million over 10 years to develop EV infrastructure. This will include at least 31 new charging sites across the province.

Our take

• For EVs to successfully penetrate rural Africa, solar integration is essential—a reality Roam appears to understand well. This project could serve as its blueprint for expanding EV infrastructure into rural Kenya. 

• One of the most pressing challenges for EVs on the continent is charging infrastructure. To address this, companies must prioritise collaboration over competition, focusing on creating flexible, interoperable charging solutions. 

• Roam’s investment in solar chargers may reflect a strategic shift toward rural areas, following the recent announcement of their first store outside Nairobi.