Roam Air arrives as next-generation electric motorbike

20 Jul 2022

This is the Roam Air, a new electric motorbike which has been designed for both urban and rural environments. 

Swedish-Kenyan firm Roam -formerly known as Opibus - builds a number of electric vehicles and offers an electric conversion kit for buses and 4x4s. 

Designed and built in Nairobi, the focus of the motorcycle was to create a “robust vehicle with best in class carrying capacity, range and top speed”. Roam hopes to inspire people in the continent to adopt clean transportation. 

Roam says the Air is the first fully adapted electric motorcycle for the commercial market in Africa, and has been priced to match the cost of petrol motorcycles at $1500 (£1253). 

The Roam Air is based on a new frame to accommodate the dual battery system. Batteries can be removed and charged at home using a domestic socket or at public charging devices and swapping stations. 

Both batteries have a capacity of 3.24kWh which gives the Air a range of up to 180km (112 miles). 

The Air has a top speed of 55mph and can be charged in around four hours. 

As standard the new e-motorbike has a number of driving modes including Eco and Sports. There is also a USB charging port for your mobile phone and an onboard telemetry system. 

Roam says the frame has been engineered to “tackle all terrains”, while also accommodating for a storage compartment that replaces the fuel tank. 

"We are thrilled to announce the unveiling of the Roam Air, our next-generation electric motorcycle, adapted and designed in detail for the African use-case and with special focus on affordability, reliability and connectivity,” said Filip lövström, CEO and co-founder of Roam.

“An electric motorcycle tailored for different commercial use-cases such as carrying passengers or cargo with safety at the forefront. It is truly a testament to our commitment to offering world-class electric vehicle technology to the continent.”

Roam will be scaling up production in Nairobi over the coming months to accommodate for its large customer base in the region. 

The firm hopes its Air e-motorbike will help it to larger commercial motorcycle distribution markets. 

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