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Opibus, a Kenyan electric mobility startup focused on enhancing transportation across Africa, has rebranded, changing its name to Roam.
Founded in 2017 out of a research project in Sweden, Opibus, now Roam, has speedily accelerated, setting up in Kenya as a test market for growth across Africa and beyond.
Over the years significant milestones have been achieved, enabling the company to serve customers with a wide range of products. Opibus has brought together like-minded people on a mission to identify where electric mobility could have the largest possible impact.
The company’s focus has expanded and “Roam is on a pathway that has a clear vision, to electrify the African transport and energy system through reliable, accessible and connected products. This shift means we will focus on mass utilization products; products that are used all day, everyday,” the company stated.
The company is now moving initial conversions and expanding into new segments. It gives clarity to the fact that the products are the next generation of its prototypes and will be divided under the Roam brand with the following segments: Roam Motorcycles, Roam Transit (buses), Roam Energy & Charging, and Muse (our conversions for the Mining, Utility and Safari segment).
“Roam means to travel over a wide area, signifying the company’s exploration of the African continent. This change comes following our expansion to new emerging markets, and most notably our strategic shift to target more on these areas within the transport system that are the biggest carbon emitters. Roam is intended to reflect the company’s ambition to electrify Africa’s transportation sector, as well as our boldness in delivering disruptive technologies, optimized for the local use case.”
Under Roam, the company’s focus will remain on electric vehicles, energy system solutions, and the mass transportation sector which has recently emerged as an area with the greatest impact on transportation.
The first African-made Electric bus
As part of its initiative toward the transformation of the mass transit industry, Roam launched the first African made electric bus in a pilot program. “This vehicle is the foundation upon which we will continue to build our knowledge base for the African market, enabling us to optimize our electric buses to fit the market needs of the people with the shortest return on investment. All in all, creating an ecosystem solution for our transport systems.”
In addition to the public transport industry, another emerging market Roam targets is the motorcycle taxi and delivery so called “boda-boda” industry.
“This industry is the fastest growing industry not only in Kenya but in most parts of the world. Unlike vehicles, motorcycles cost much less to buy and run, are more convenient in urban environments, they run well on inadequate infrastructure, can carry flexible kinds of load and access very remote areas. And of course, what makes them most popular in cities is their ability to maneuver traffic and congestion.”
The motorcycle industry is currently the single largest employer in Kenya, estimated to employ over 1.2 million youth. The sector is booming with over 1.6 million motorcycles registered in Kenya, growing with an average of 16,500 new imports per month.
To date, Opibus, now Roam, has deployed 150 motorcycles in Kenya and other African countries; with trials running with different partners in Ghana, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
Since the first pilots, the motorcycle has evolved from having a single battery module to having two swappable batteries, in addition to using a portable charger that can plug into any normal socket.
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