Opibus and Uber Aim to Scale the Use of the First African e-Motorcycle on the Continent

This news comes after the two successfully completed a pilot program involving the Opibus proprietary motorcycles and now they’re ready for the next phase in their collaboration. As part of the agreement, Opibus will supply 3,000 of its e-motorbikes starting next year, to meet the demand from Uber’s drivers, thus scaling up its operation across the continent.

At the same time, this partnership is meant to make these zero-carbon e-motorcycles more accessible to a broader market. This is a step in the right direction for Uber as well, which plans to switch to fully electric and become a zero-emission platform by 2040.

As explained by Opibus, Kenya’s largest employer is the motorcycle industry, estimated to offer jobs to more than 1.2 million youth. Kenya has over 1.6 million motorcycles registered in the country, but it is a fleet of fossil-fueled two-wheelers, which generate a huge amount of emissions and increased noise pollution.

Opibus manages to stand out from the crowd with its first African electric motorcycle. Designed in Kenya and optimized for use in Africa, the bike features a robust frame and is powered by a dual battery pack. Its swappable batteries can be changed in just 10 seconds. With the dual-battery design, the Opibus e-motorcycle claims to offer a range of up to 200 km (124 miles). The motorcycle has a payload capacity of 200 kg (400 lb) and can reach a top speed of 90 kph (56 mph), being able to go from 0 to 56 mph in just five seconds.

Pre-orders for the Opibus electric motorcycle are now open, with the bike having a base price of $1,300. Deliveries are scheduled to start next year.