Zeno Emara Electric Motorcycle Unveiled in Kenya with Bold Plans for EV Expansion

Zeno, the global electric mobility firm led by ex-Tesla, Apple, Ola Electric, SafeBoda, and Bolt executives, has officially launched the Zeno Emara Electric Motorcycle in East Africa.

The company unveiled the innovative two-wheeler alongside a 3-mode charging infrastructure, marking its entry into the region’s growing electric vehicle market.

With its base in San Francisco, Nairobi, and Bangalore, Zeno is establishing two assembly plants and nine showrooms across East Africa, starting with Kenya. It’s the first country to receive deliveries of this robust, electric sport utility motorcycle.

The Zeno Emara Electric Motorcycle is engineered for African terrain, offering more than just urban mobility. Designed with a 250kg load capacity and 190mm ground clearance, it performs well on rough roads and steep hills.

It’s aimed at serving commercial transport sectors like boda bodas and delivery riders who demand reliability and efficiency.

“We’ve reimagined what electric motorcycles should be. The Zeno Emara is built for full-day use and delivers better performance than many petrol bikes while slashing daily running costs by up to 50%,” said Michael Spencer, Zeno’s CEO.

Addressing one of the key challenges for EV adoption charging Zeno’s ecosystem offers unmatched flexibility. Riders can swap batteries at Zeno stations, fast-charge in public spaces in under an hour, or opt for overnight home charging. This innovation helps eliminate range anxiety for daily users.

Currently, the company has rolled out over 40 charging points across the Nairobi-Nyeri-Nanyuki corridor. It plans to scale up to 120 charging spots in Nairobi alone and 500 across Kenya within the next 12 months, building what may become the most expansive EV charging network in the country.

Michael Spencer confirmed that interest has been strong. “We’ve seen more than 15,000 customers sign up for the Zeno waitlist across Kenya, Uganda, and India. Our launch price is KSh 189,000 and includes KSh 15,000 worth of free Zeno energy credits. Daily financing starts from just KSh 290,” he noted.

Following its Kenya debut, Zeno is launching in Uganda this week and has set its sights on wider East African markets.

According to Spencer, the company’s hybrid of custom design and smart charging solutions could revolutionize electric transport across developing economies.

This launch comes at a critical time for Africa’s transport landscape. With over 600 million two- and three-wheelers operating mainly in Africa and Asia, the switch to electric options presents both a business opportunity and an urgent environmental need.

Traditional bikes consume nearly $400 billion in fuel yearly, contributing heavily to pollution.