Jumia Kenya To Introduce Electric Vehicle For Deliveries In Kenya   

Jumia Kenya has announced that it will start using electric e-Vans, for deliveries ordered on its platform in Kenya.

The electric e-Vans join a delivery fleet that includes boda bodas, trucks and vans, that have been used by the platform to deliver goods, food and drinks to customers.

The electric e-Vans that Jumia will use will be procured from California-based EV solutions provider BILITI Electric.

The two companies have completed the pilot project, and are set to scale the fleet within Kenya in the first phase, and eventually across Africa. The partnership, the two say is an essential step toward Africa’s progress in the e-mobility industry to achieve its environmental sustainability goals.

Juan Seco, Jumia Kenya CEO said: “Leveraging technology to improve everyday lives in Africa,” is the first pillar of JUMIA’s sustainability strategy. “We are committed to building a supply chain that will minimize the environmental impact of our operations. The introduction of these e-Vans to our delivery fleet is an integral milestone in our journey towards realizing our ESG objectives.”

Rahul Gayam, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of BILITI Electric, stated that last mile delivery costs account for 53% of the total cost of shipping, noting that electric vehicles (EVs) help to save on high costs compared to any internal combustion engine vehicle.

“We are confident that we will be able to help JUMIA to offer faster, clean, cheaper, and more convenient last-mile deliveries,” Gayam added.

BILITI Electric’s Taskmanvariant is designed for commercial last-mile deliveries. It offers a range of 100 km per charge, a payload of 500 kg, and a top speed of 50 kmph. BILITI’s SmartSwapp technology enables the rider to simply swap the vehicle battery and get recharged in less than a minute.

According to the company, these e-vans offer African communities cleaner air and economic opportunity. An additional benefit is that delivery agents can earn more money by switching from fossil-fuel motorcycles to these e-vans, allowing them to deliver more orders more quickly and efficiently.

The introduction of e-vans in Kenya, a country targeting 100% clean energy use by 2030, is no doubt a step in the right direction and offers fresh hopes for the growth of cleaner energy and safe transport in Africa.