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Interview: eBee’s plan to make Kenya a cycling nation

September 14, 2025

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Kenya and the Netherlands don’t share many similarities. For one, cycling is a fundamental part of life and transport in the Netherlands. In Kenya, cycling was once a major mode of transport but has been replaced by motorcycles. Maarten Fonteijn, the Managing Director of electric bicycle company eBee, is Dutch. He aims to help cultivate a similar culture of cycling in Kenya. 

  • In an interview with Mobility Rising, Mr Fonteijn said the company’s founders, who are Dutch, borrowed from Netherlands’ vast experience in cycling to establish the company. “I think part of that understanding of the Netherlands and how it (electric bicycle) works there has inspired the founders initially to test different models.” 

  • Since its establishment in Kenya in 2021, the company has since expanded to Uganda, and is considering venturing into Tanzania and Ethiopia in future. 

  • Read the full interview here… (5 min)

BYD has launched the Dolphin Surf, its cheapest electric car in South Africa. The compact hatchback will sell for less than R 400,000 ($23,200). It is available with two battery options: a 30 kWh unit with a 220 km range and a 38.8 kWh unit with a 295 km range. The car also has vehicle-to-load functionality, allowing owners to use it to charge a variety of external devices.

  • At less than R 400,000, it will be one of the cheapest electric cars in South Africa. To earn the title of the cheapest EV in South Africa, the Surf would have to come in cheaper than the Dayun Yuehu S5, which costs R 399,900 ($23,100) for the standard version.  

  • A decline in import prices will significantly help retail prices drop in South Africa, where electric car prices remain high due to punitive import taxes. Unlike internal combustion vehicles that attract a 18% duty, full EVs are hit with a 25% tariff, plus ad valorem taxes. 

  • Our take: BYD’s aggressive price cuts will make it the leader in the entry-level EV segment in Africa… Read more (2 min)

Mobility Rising has listed 18 upcoming events over the next three months where e-mobility decision-makers and experts will gather. These events cover all the four regions we track, spanning electric mobility, auto technology, logistics, and sustainable urban mobility. Starting the calendar is the Morocco Electric Mobility and After-Market Show which starts tomorrow.

  • The standout events on the list are Smarter Mobility Africa in Johannesburg (1-2 October) and Africa E-Mobility Week in Addis Ababa (14-16 October). Both are expected to draw hundreds of thought leaders, innovators, and exhibitors from across Africa. 

  • These events are vital for stakeholders to align with policy shifts, attract investors, and forge regional partnerships. Missing them could mean falling behind as e-mobility rapidly takes on a pan-African trade and policy dimension.

  • Click here to see the lineup of events… (2 min)

BasiGo technicians assemble an electric bus at a plant in Kenya 

Jobs

💼 Lead Business Development and sales at Sun Mobility (Kenya)

🛠️ Become an Aftersales Manager at Spiro (Kenya)

👩🏻‍💻 Join M-Kopa as a Global Telesales Business Analyst (Kenya)

Various 

🤝🏻 TankVolt electric bikes handed over to Battery Xpress Logistics in Nigeria

⚡ South Africa in talks with Chinese automakers to boost local production

💭 Ethiopians dream of an electric car future

Seen on LinkedIn 

Olaitan Oyefeso, Product and Project Manager at Ecowaka, says, “Infrastructure is fragmented. Every startup must build its own charging or swapping stations from scratch.