Kenya is dramatically increasing its investment in new electric mobility charging stations to support a transition to sustainable transport that will impact sub-Saharan Africa.

A collaborative project between Energy 4 Impact, Arc Ride, Fika Mobility, Imperial London and Strathmore University has received $300,000 from Partnering for Green and Global Goals 2030 (P4G) to test the commercial viability of the battery-as-a-service model.

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The project, titled Load!, has already established 45 charging stations in Nairobi over the past 12 months. It aims to provide convenient and affordable battery swaps for electric scooters/electric boda-bodas. Reloading! The project also wants to develop a replicable and scalable business model across Africa.

The partnership is set up to provide business partners with a risk-free investment over the next three years. They have already collected data on more than 285 vehicles and 45 charging/exchange sites. The partnership wants to provide sufficient evidence to prove the viability of battery technology as a service from ARC Ride in Nairobi with the aim of expanding the solution to other countries in East Africa.

Results of the electric mobility project

Some of the results of the pilot project will be:

• Create a master plan for a larger network of electric vehicle charging stations and their optimal sites across Nairobi.
• Quantify localized pollution avoided and carbon emissions saved.
• Make recommendations for necessary legislation to enable mass adoption of electric vehicles in Nairobi.
• Develop a “business in a box” that provides a value proposition to potential charging station operators.

What is P4G?

Load! is one of 19 new public-private partnerships that P4G is funding in its latest round. P4G is a catalyst for start-up companies in the field of renewable energy. It focuses in particular on food and agriculture, water, energy, the city and the circular economy. The partnerships will also provide support to accelerate innovative solutions in the renewable energy sector and aim for inclusive growth.

The company mobilizes its global ecosystem to empower its partners to reduce carbon emissions, improve smallholder livelihoods, access clean water and energy for communities, strengthen electric mobility solutions and leverage investments to scale these solutions.

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