Lead

In Nairobi's notorious traffic, where gridlock can hold commuters for hours amid a stream of cars, minibuses, and motorbikes, a quieter revolution is underway. Electric mobility is taking center stage in Kenya, with local companies like eWaka and Roam Electric manufacturing e-bikes, e-motorbikes, and batteries, as the country pushes to leverage its renewable energy resources for cleaner transport.

The push for electrified transport aligns with the Africa Forward summit, a joint initiative by France and Kenya, being held in Nairobi. The summit highlights clean energy, electric transport, and local African production, aiming to attract investment and foster partnerships. In the lead-up, RFI interviewed some of the pioneers behind Kenya's EV boom, who are inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs and riders.

Coverage Comparison

The reporting from RFI, which was also republished by AllAfrica, paints a consistent picture of Kenya's EV landscape. The coverage focuses on the country's unique energy advantage, traffic and pollution challenges, and the innovative companies addressing them. All three extracted sources share a neutral, informative tone, emphasizing the positive potential of local manufacturing and clean transport.

There is little divergence among the sources on core facts. All report that Kenya's electricity is predominantly sourced from geothermal, hydro-electric, and other renewables like wind and solar. They also uniformly highlight the role of startups in driving the EV boom, with eWaka and Roam Electric as prominent examples.

Key Claims

  • Electric mobility is emerging as a key issue across the African continent, with cleaner transport high on the agenda at the Africa Forward summit in Nairobi, organized jointly by France and Kenya.
  • Several innovative companies, including eWaka and Roam Electric, illustrate the boom in electric vehicle production in Kenya.
  • Kenya's electricity comes mostly from geothermal or hydro-electric power and from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.
  • eWaka Mobility Limited sells e-bikes and markets a fleet of e-bikes to companies, along with the software to manage them, and provides training to riders.
  • Roam Electric has produced the first fast-charging battery in Africa, according to the companies and reporting.
  • Clean energy, electric transport, and local African production are expected to be key themes at the Africa Forward 2026 summit.
  • One claim, carried by a single source, states that China is "the manufacturer of the world when it comes to e-mobility, and even French EVs are made in China." This claim has not been independently verified.

Perspectives

eWaka co-founder and CEO Celeste Tchetgen Vogel expressed cautious optimism about the industry's growth. She noted that when eWaka started with electric cargo bicycles, there was significant skepticism in Africa, with critics dismissing them as "the poor man's motorcycles." However, she told RFI, "When people test our bicycles, they can feel the difference." Vogel expects French investors attending the summit to make clear commitments that suit Kenya and, more broadly, all Africans.

The sources highlight the broader context of Nairobi's daily commute: hours lost to traffic jams amid cars, trucks, and the ubiquitous matatus and boda bodas. The result is not just lost time but high levels of pollution—a problem Kenya aims to address through its renewable energy drive. With the country's grid already largely powered by clean sources, these companies hope to promote an end to oil dependency, while focusing on local manufacturing to create jobs for young people in the East African hub.