EV operator Ampersand opens a large 21,000-square-metre manufacturing facility in Kenya
On Thursday, October 17, Ampersand, an electric vehicle (EV) startup, announced the opening of its new, expanded manufacturing facility in Nairobi, Kenya. This new factory spans 21,000 square metres, making it more than three times larger than its previous site, which was 6,500 square metres.
The expansion, along with the hiring of over 100 staff members, will enable Ampersand to assemble up to 60 electric motorcycles each day, totaling 1,440 motorcycles per month. This facility will also support the company’s battery swap network.
Ampersand reported that over 1,100 of its electric motorcycles, known as e-motos, are already in operation. The company claims that its heavy-duty commercial e-motos and battery fleet collectively travel more than 4.5 million kilometres each week between Kigali and Nairobi. Additionally, Ampersand aims to deploy 5 million electric motorcycles by 2033.
Josh Whale, CEO of Ampersand, stated that the expansion is focused on scaling the business and creating a positive impact. “With this expanded capacity, we’re in a stronger position to support the electrification of Africa’s commercial motorcycle transport and to scale Ampersand’s proven business model,” he said.
Ampersand is not the only electric vehicle operator expanding in Kenya and East Africa. In April 2024, BasiGo launched Kenya’s first specialized assembly line for electric buses, planning to assemble 1,000 e-buses for local operators over the next three years.
Additionally, M-KOPA and Bolt partnered to introduce an electric motorcycle fleet in Kenya, aiming to deploy more than 5,000 new electric bikes in the next three years. This initiative will allow new and existing drivers to lease ROAM and Ampersand electric motorbikes at discounted prices.
In September 2024, Zeno raised $9.5 million in an oversubscribed seed round led by Lowercarbon Capital and Toyota Ventures to accelerate its plans for swappable battery technology across East Africa, with the launch of its first electric motorbikes planned for early 2025.
The Kenyan government is also showing support for the EV industry by enhancing its regulatory framework. In April 2024, it released a draft of the National E-mobility Policy, which aims to encourage local production and assembly of electric vehicles.
