Electric motorbike assembler Ampersand is expanding its production capacity in its Nairobi plant, tripling output to 1,440 units per month to meet the rising demand for green mobility. The firm says its expansion will see it meet increasing demand for electric motorcycles in Kenya where at least 1,100 bikes are on the road currently.

“Our new Nairobi factory is a major step forward in both scale and impact. It reflects our dedication to providing sustainable, affordable EV solutions that directly benefit riders and the environment. With this expanded capacity, we’re in a stronger position to support the electrification of Africa’s commercial motorcycle transport and to scale Ampersand’s proven business model," explained Josh Whale, CEO, Ampersand in a statement.

Jobs for 100 people

The company said that its new-look factory, which covers an estimated 21,000 square metres, makes it over three times larger than the previous 6,500 square metre plant.

The new plant will see Ampersand provide jobs to over 100 workers, enabling the firm to assemble up to 60 electric motorcycles per day or 1,440 e-bikes every month.

Additionally, the company added that the new plant will see it continue delivering battery swap services across Kenya. According to Ampersand, each e-moto avoids at least two metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per bike per year and, on average, increases customer income by 45 per cent by avoiding spending on fuel.

This benefit, Ampersand noted, its critical for Kenyan riders, who each support an average of four people in their homes.

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Adoption of electric vehicles

The enhanced Kenyan operation, combined with Ampersand’s successful model in Rwanda where it has spearheaded the adoption of electric motorcycles, lays a strong foundation for its continued expansion across East Africa.

Currently, Ampersand’s fleet of heavy-duty commercial e-motos and smart, AI-optimised battery fleet covers over 4.5 million kilometres per week in Kigali and Nairobi combined.

This latest scaling positions the company to meet the growing demand for electric motorcycles, not just in Kenya but across East Africa, where 100 million people depend on largely petrol motorcycles for taxi or delivery services. Ampersand aims to deploy five million electric motorcycles by 2033.

Kenya has been making great strides in the green mobility industry with the governmnet targeting to have roughly 100,000 e-motorbikes and three-wheelers on the road in the next six years.

Green mobility efforts in the country are backed by financial institutions with the KCB Group partnering with UN's Institute for Training and Research to promote green investments and the creation of new jobs in this area.

According to the World Economic Forum, President William Ruto has called for scaling of e-moto usage to an estimated 200,000. Players in the industry however continue to grapple with constrained charging infrastructure.

Increasingly, investors are stepping in to develop stations for swapping batteries, aiming at encouraging adoption of electric motors.

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