By Mark Kawalya
Roam, an e-mobility firm operating in Kenya’s capital Nairobi, has moved to a new 10,000-square-metre production facility that will enable the company to boost its annual production to 50,000 motorcycles.
Investing in the new facility is part of the firm’s strategy to upscale commercial production of the Roam Air, an affordable e-motorcycle the company developed for the African terrain.
The new facility and company headquarters is located on Mombasa Road overlooking the Nairobi National Park and will be instrumental in boosting production turnaround times, building capacity, and boosting staff safety.
Additionally, the new premises will make it possible for the firm to combine, production, distribution, and storage functions under one roof, creating a hub that will cut down on the firm’s overall carbon footprint.
Roam currently employs 150 skilled employees in the fields of design, engineering, and production. The team works on ensuring the e-motorcycles meet quality and affordability benchmarks while building local capacity.
“Moving ahead with this new production facility represents a significant step forward in bringing sustainable mobility solutions to Kenya,” said Chief Operations Officer Brett Mangel, who formerly worked at Tesla.
“With some of the brightest talent, key partners, and access to a good infrastructure and logistics network, Roam is confident that this new location is a step in the right direction.” He added.
The company’s growth is expected to continue in 2023 as the firm continues to expand in East Africa to meet demand.
Mikael Gånge, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Roam, said the firm wants to provide a “compelling environmental and economical solution” for markets that have not been reached by e-mobility solutions. The Roam Air has a starting price of $1,500, and reservations for buying the bike can be made online. The firm signed an agreement with M-Kopa, an African financing platform, to provide the motorcycles on credit, enabling everyday Kenyans to afford them.
