NAIROBI – On the edge of Nairobi National Park, within sight of Mombasa Road traffic, a quiet shift is taking place inside the Roam electric motorcycle plant. The facility, staffed by over 300 workers, is churning out up to 20 electric motorcycles each day machines built for African roads and powered by a mix of local ingenuity and foreign collaboration.
Roam’s assembly plant has become a cornerstone of Kenya’s electric vehicle (EV) movement. Much of its progress hinges on critical technical input and component supply from China. Roam sources about 35% of its parts, including lithium-ion battery modules and electronic subsystems, from Chinese suppliers, primarily in Shenzhen.
“Chinese partners have been key in helping us scale our operations. Their input in adapting systems for our road conditions has been essential,” said Habib Lukaya, a manager at Roam.
Beyond component sourcing, Lukaya said Chinese engineers helped facilitate technology transfers that made local assembly more efficient. Roam has now achieved 36% local manufacturing of parts such as battery compartments, wire harnesses, mechanical auxiliaries, and body panels. The company expects to reduce imports to 30% by mid-2026, a shift aimed at shortening supply lines and cutting production costs.
The parts are shipped via the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, a China-funded rail line that has become a vital artery for the EV sector. The company’s strategy reflects a broader trend across Africa, where Chinese firms have established a growing presence in electric transport from motorcycles to buses.
In cities across Kenya, Rwanda, Ethiopia, and South Africa, Chinese-manufactured electric buses are already in operation. Still, electric cars remain out of reach for most Kenyans due to cost and limited infrastructure. Instead, two-wheelers popular as boda bodas are emerging as the practical face of EV adoption.
There are an estimated 3 million motorcycle riders in Kenya, with many relying on the trade for income. For riders like Joel Amboka, the shift to electric has meant real savings. “I now spend about $0.60 to charge my battery at home,” he said. “I used to pay $5 every day for fuel. Now I take home $20 a day, up from $7.”
Despite the economic benefits, challenges persist. Jennifer Kinyoe, managing director of Loxea Kenya’s official distributor of Chinese EV brand BYD pointed to the country’s poor EV infrastructure. With fewer than 50 charging stations across the country, she said long-distance travel using EVs remains largely impractical.
“We can’t rely on public charging spots alone,” Kinyoe said. “That’s why we are partnering with Kenya Power to install home-based chargers. These wall boxes allow people to recharge their cars overnight like a phone.”
She noted that affordability and policy hurdles continue to slow down broader EV adoption. “China is clearly stepping up in supporting African countries,” Kinyoe added. “But we also need to evaluate what we’re doing locally to close the gap.”
As Kenya pushes toward clean energy solutions, the collaboration with Chinese companies marks a turning point one that could define the country’s path toward sustainable, affordable, and reliable urban transport.
