Grace Ashiru
The Little app, which is quite popular in Kenya, recently announced the launch of its electric mobility items, which include electric bikes and scooters. After spending years improving the design and functionality of the motorcycles, the business announced its release plans earlier in March 2022.
Kenya has seen a rise in the use of electric vehicles for public transportation this year. Kenya is well on its way to becoming Africa’s electric mobility capital due to recent developments such as the launch of the Little electric vehicle.
This news comes at a time when Kenya is dealing with a severe fuel shortage, causing fuel prices to go up and hurting most Kenyans’ living standards. In addition, there is a crisis in the region caused by air pollution that is causing people to lose their lives and is hurting their health.
In 2019, air pollution in the country was linked to the early deaths of more than 5,000 people. The difficult circumstances that have resulted from the increase in fuel cost have, in some mysterious way, made the settings favourable for developing electric mobility options in the east-African nation. Little, a company that has been active in the region’s mobility industry for a long time, is now beginning to participate in the emerging market for electric mobility.
According to the CEO of Little, the bikes can operate for up to 24 hours after just requiring a four-hour charge, and most of the materials used in the construction of the bikes are easily recyclable, such as steel and aluminium.
According to Little, it plans to disperse two hundred electric bicycles among several predetermined locations throughout Nairobi, the nation’s capital. Users must download the app and scan the QR code on each bike to activate the bikes. In addition to that, the activation of the bicycles will be done.
Little’s CEO, Mr Kamal Budhabhatti, said that the move was part of the company’s plan to promote electric transportation in Kenya. Even though the use of electric vehicles (EV) is still in its infancy in Kenya, Little intends to play a pivotal role in collaborating with customers, business partners, and government agencies to hasten the process of widespread adoption.
“As the government puts in place EV policies and incentives and builds important infrastructure like charging stations, This launch will give customers information and tips on how to use EVs as part of their everyday lives.
The previous year saw Kenya make headlines because it became Africa’s first and only country where Bolt introduced their commercial line of electric bikes. Since then, Kenya has been making rapid progress toward adopting electric mobility, and this announcement is the most recent in a string of positive developments. But it’s still unclear whether the rails are ready for widespread use in electric transportation.
For instance, most roads in Kenya aren’t set up for bikes like Little’s, and the government doesn’t do much to help. In response to this, Kalua Green, the founder of the Green Africa Foundation, an organization that promotes the development of sustainable communities, said the following: There are several obstacles to overcome, some of which include policies and infrastructure, as well as other requirements that the government has not fulfilled. Infrastructure is vital because our roads are not suitable for cyclists right now.
