NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 24 – SUN Mobility has launched an open-architecture battery swapping network in Kenya, with more than 35 stations already operating in Nairobi and Mombasa as the company begins its planned expansion across Africa.
The network, launched in partnership with Vivo Energy, supports electric motorcycles, scooters, passenger tuk-tuks and cargo three-wheelers from multiple vehicle manufacturers.
The open system allows different vehicle manufacturers to use the same battery-swapping infrastructure, reducing the need for companies to develop their own networks and giving riders more options.
SUN Mobility said its battery-swapping technology can help electric vehicle users reduce operating costs, with savings of about 20 per cent compared with petrol vehicles for riders covering 100 kilometres a day and up to 35 per cent for those covering 150 kilometres.
The company is using Kenya as the launch market for its broader African expansion, building on a network in India that supports more than 125,000 electric vehicles through over 2,000 swapping stations across 25 cities.
Ajay Goel, Co-Founder and CEO International Business at SUN Mobility, said the open system would give riders and fleet operators greater flexibility while providing financiers with confidence that electric vehicles would have access to reliable charging infrastructure.
“Kenya is just the beginning of our long-term vision to build Africa’s largest universal battery swapping network for electric mobility,” Goel said.
SUN Mobility said its platform includes Smart Batteries, Quick Interchange Stations and a cloud-based Smart Network that manages battery assets, customer connections, tracking and maintenance.
The company has showcased compatible vehicles from more than 10 manufacturers, including Afrina Neopower, BGauss, Fika Mobility, Motovolt, Odysse, Piaggio, QJ-YY, Sprocomm, VMoto and Wylex.
The manufacturers are expected to roll out their vehicles in Kenya in the coming weeks.
The rollout is supported by an Africa-wide partnership with Vivo Energy, which operates more than 4,200 Shell and Engen-branded service stations across 29 African countries.
Hans Paulsen, EVP East & South – Africa at Vivo Energy, said the partnership would allow battery-swapping stations to be deployed at locations already used by motorists and riders.
He said the model would help make the transition to electric mobility more accessible by turning existing service stations into multi-energy hubs.
SUN Mobility plans to deploy more than 160,000 electric vehicles and 2,500 battery-swapping stations across Africa over the next five years.
The company said Kenya would serve as the starting point for the rollout, with Vivo Energy’s pan-African network expected to support expansion into other markets.
SUN Mobility was founded in 2017 by SUN Group and Maini Group and operates more than 2,000 battery-swapping stations in India through its joint venture with Indian Oil.
The company said its Indian network has facilitated more than 70 million battery swaps and covered about two billion kilometres.
