ROAM Launches AI-Enabled Real-Time Monitoring Solution For Electric Fleets In Kenya

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Kenyan electric mobility manufacturer Roam has launched a vehicle intelligence platform aimed at solving visibility of key performance metrics, one of the most overlooked challenges in Africa’s electric mobility transition. The system, called Roam Explorer, enables the connection of electric motorcycles, tuk-tuks, buses, and cars to a centralized digital platform that tracks battery health, performance, location, and usage in real-time. Designed from the ground up for electric mobility applications, the platform will replace the previous “off the shelf” modules that were not tailor made exclusively for electric mobility. The shift to the new platform will unlock further efficiencies, driving down costs, as well as presenting users with more real-time valuable information without unnecessary generic components that were not specifically zoning in on electric mobility.

The new platform prioritizes the unique nature of the local ecosystem where electric motorcycles and other types of vehicles are operating. In many African markets, electric vehicles operate in environments with inconsistent connectivity and limited fleet data. For financiers and fleet operators, the inability to monitor assets remotely has slowed scaling and increased risk. Roam says the Roam Explorer has been designed to solve this problem. The platform operates on 2G, 3G, and 4G networks, allowing vehicles to remain connected even in rural areas. Operators can access vehicle data through a smartphone interface, while key functions can also be managed via SMS; a feature intended to expand usability beyond smartphone-dependent systems. This is a critical feature, as a large number of these vehicles will be operated in lower income areas where smart phone penetration is low, hence the SMS platform allows for a more inclusive approach.

According to Roam, the system tracks battery health, range, temperature, and overall performance in real time. By analyzing the data, the platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help predict maintenance needs and reduce unexpected breakdowns. Rather than positioning it as a feature add-on, Roam describes Explorer as the digital operating layer of its electric vehicles. The system is expected to open new opportunities for asset financing by giving lenders like M-KOPA greater visibility over financed vehicles. Fleet managers can monitor performance across multiple vehicles, while riders receive insights that may improve safety and reliability. Roam Explorer was designed and developed in Kenya in collaboration with Swedish technology partners. The company says the system reflects a broader shift from building electric vehicles to building connected electric ecosystems.

Habib Lukaya, Roam’s Country Manager, said: “Roam Explorer changes how electric fleets are managed. It moves us from reacting to problems to preventing them. By giving real-time visibility into battery health and vehicle performance, we are making electric fleets safer to operate and easier to finance.”

Here is what I like about this development. This platform is already active on ROAM AIR electric motorcycles in Kenya, and all of this is now possible thanks to the rapid rise of electric motorcycles in Kenya. The overall motorcycle market was up 145%, from 68,804 motorcycles in 2024 to 168,286 in 2025. With 25,277 of the motorcycles registered in Kenya in 2025 being electric, that means 15.3% of all new motorcycle registrations in Kenya in 2025 were electric. How cool is that! With over 2 million internal combustion engine motorcycles registered in Kenya, the opportunity to electrify the sector is massive. The 145% increase in sales in the overall market points to an improving environment following the recent slump in sales. With growing interest and awareness in electric motorcycles, now is the time to support all the companies that are active in Kenya’s electric motorcycle space and take advantage of the momentum. This growth and scale allows companies to invest in optimising their solutions, such as this IOT platform, by moving from off-the-shelf components. It also allows them to increasingly incorporate more local components into the overall vehicle production process. This will help the local component manufacturing ecosystem, creating more of the much needed direct and indirect jobs, and can also drive down costs.