Electric technology company ROAM continues to find success in its native East Africa and is now expanding its production footprint to a new larger facility that’s over 100,000 square feet in size. In the coming years, ROAM intends to bolster is Air electric motorcycle production to fill the new facility’s capacity of 50,000 units per year.
ROAM was founded in 2017 under its original monicker – Opibus, although the company saw a rebranding to ROAM in April 2022. Although ROAM’s origin has Swedish roots, it has always been headquartered in Kenya where it develops, designs, and manufactures electric motorcycles and buses to help transition the African continent toward a future of more sustainable transportation.
Last summer, ROAM officially launched its Air electric motorcycle, complete with two swappable battery packs that combine for 180 km (112 mi) of all-electric range. The frame of the ROAM Air was engineered to handle both the urban and rural terrains of Africa and provides a storage compartment where a traditional fuel tank would be.
The result is an electric motorcycle that is offers class-leading carrying capacity, range, and top speed that is helping ROAM in its goal of easing mass adoption of zero-emission transport across Africa.
With partners like Uber already onboard to deploy its electric motorcycles in East Africa, ROAM has expanded to keep up with demand and improve production efficiencies.
ROAM opens largest electric motorcycle plant in East Africa
ROAM shared details of its new 10,000 square-meter (~107,650 sq.-ft.) facility in Nairobi, Kenya earlier today. The relocation is called ROAM Park and will now become home to the company’s East African headquarters and development/battery labs, in addition to its Air electric motorcycle production.
The new footprint which ROAM describes as “double the size of the International Space Station,” has the capabilities for an annual production capacity of 50,000 Airs per year. ROAM is not at that output level yet, but intends to reach it in a couple of years – all while remaining a carbon-neutral assembly facility.
ROAM states the new facility allows it to combine production, distribution, and storage operations of the electric motorcycles under one roof, reducing its overall carbon footprint while simultaneously improving efficiency.
The company current employs over 150 highly skilled individuals local to East Africa and growth is expected to continue through 2023 to meet EV demand. Operations of the new facility are being lead by ROAM’s chief operations officer and former Tesla employee, Brett Mangel. Mangel spoke:
Moving ahead with this new production facility represents a significant step forward in bringing sustainable mobility solutions to Kenya. With some of the brightest talent, key partners, and access to a good infrastructure and logistics network, Roam is confident that this new location is a step in the right direction.
The ROAM team explained to us that its new facility in Nairobi caters specifically to motorcycle production and that its all-electric transit buses are being assembled at a separate facility in Africa with a production partner.
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Tesla has started offering leases of certified pre-owned cars, which is relatively rare in the industry, with $0 down as it desperately tries to move vehicles before the end of the quarter.
With the federal tax credit for electric vehicles set to expire at the end of the quarter, automakers in the US are all trying to optimize EV sales, as demand is being pulled forward.
This also applies to used EVs, as the $4,000 federal incentive for used electric vehicles will also expire on September 30th.
Now, leasing used vehicles is much less common than leasing new cars, but some automakers, or mainly dealers, do offer it.
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Tesla is getting into this business for the first time.
In California and Texas, Tesla is now offering leases on certified pre-owned (aka used) Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
These are reasonably priced and can be as low as $215 per month with $0 down for a 24-month lease and 10,000 miles per year.
Tesla also offers a 12-month lease and up to 15,000 miles annually. While there’s no down payment needed, there’s an “Acquisition Fee” of $695.
That, and the first month, is all you need to get in a used Tesla for the next year or two.
This is undoubtedly the cheapest way to get into a Tesla vehicle right now.
Tesla is trying to sell as many vehicles as possible in the US this quarter, as demand for EVs has been pulled forward due to the end of the tax credit. This is expected to result in a record quarter in the US, but it also going to create a few difficult ones in the future.
With demand being pulled forward and future buyers feeling like they missed out on EV discounts, the US EV market is expected to experience a significant slowdown over the next 12 to 18 months.
Tesla sales are down about 13% globally so far this year. While this quarter is expected to be better, many analysts still anticipate Tesla’s year-over-year performance to be down.
This year alone, Tesla added more than 50,000 electric vehicles to its inventory.
Used cars have also been piling up.
Tesla owners rushed to sell their vehicles as Tesla’s brand perception dived following its CEO’s involvement in politics.
Danish equipment makers HG build job site dumpers that help move sand, rocks, debris, construction waste, and building supplies across rugged, uneven urban job sites. And with the introduction of their newest E3000 model, they’re helping move more than three tons of that stuff without emissions and — just as crucially — without noise.
HG announced the E3000 electric site dumper just this week, adding the new 3 tonne capacity to its growing lineup of 1 and 2 tonne dumpers (that’s over 6,600 lbs., in “landed on the Moon” units). With a 180° swivel tip on the bucket as standard equipment and an optional high tip version available at launch, it should be able to handle just about anything a hard working construction crew can throw at it.
“With the HG E3000, we once again prove that electric dumpers are not only better for people and the environment. They are also more efficient, cheaper to operate, and can run more than a full working day on a single charge,” explains Nikolaj Birkerod, CEO of HG, told Power Progress. “With 3 tonne dumpers, we are proving, as we already have with 2 tonne dumpers, that we can deliver on both performance and reliability while enabling customers to save 15% per operating hour compared to a diesel dumper.”
Exact specs haven’t been released, but HG claims the E3000’s 29 kWh is good for 12 full hours of continuous, loaded operation, and that it can be fully recharged on a “standard” 220 charger (L2) in about four hours. If you’re curious about what has been released, I’ve got all that for you right here:
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The only all-electric dumper on the market that gives you 12 working hours while carrying 3 tonnes payload.
Our latest addition to accelerate 100% machinery:
3-ton payload for high-capacity material handling
12-hour working – a full day’s work without recharging
Optional high tip for quick and flexible unloading into containers and trucks
180° swivel tip as standard for precise placement of loads
Fast charging: 0–100% in approx. 4 hours with the integrated charger
Lithium 29 kWh battery with automatic heating for all-season use
One-pedal drive for smooth and intuitive operation
The E3000 is built for contractors and rental companies who demand maximum productivity without compromising on environmental responsibility.
With a carrying capacity of 3 tonnes and an industry-leading 12 hours of effective runtime on a single charge, it’s proof that heavy-duty work and zero emissions can go hand in hand.
At the heart of the E3000 is HG’s patented articulated drivetrain with four independent in-wheel motors. This unique design delivers the most energy-efficient power transfer in the industry, using significantly less power than conventional electric system. This translates directly into lower operating costs and more hours on site between charges.
No word yet on pricing or whether or not the new dumper will eventually be sold outside the European market, but we do know that HG plans to deliver the first examples of its new machine to customers by early 2026.
Electrek’s Take
E3000 w/ high-tip bucket; via HG.
While there are a lot of people outside the urban construction space who may scoff at environmental concerns, the quest for improved efficiency and cost reduction among commercial fleet managers knows no political ideology. Add in more restrictive noise regulations and the side benefits of improved job site safety and fewer sick days, and electric equipment is a no-brainer.
Simply put: If it’s better or cheaper, fleets will buy it. If it’s better and cheaper, they’ll buy two — and battery powered equipment is proving to be consistently better, in a broader scope of use cases, than diesel.
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For just $129 per month, the Volkswagen ID.4 might be the best EV lease deal right now. At that, it’s almost half the cost of a new Jetta.
Volkswagen ID.4 is cheaper to lease than a Jetta
After the 2025 model year went on sale, the ID.4 raced out to become the third-best-selling EV in the US in January.
With ultra-low lease prices starting at just $129 per month, it’s no wonder Volkswagen’s electric SUV is flying off the lots.
For a $45,000 SUV, any lease under $200 a month is a steal nowadays. It’s even cheaper than leasing a new Jetta S, despite costing nearly twice as much.
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The deal is for a 24-month lease with a $2,499 due at signing, resulting in an effective monthly cost of $233. To put that into perspective, the 2025 VW Jetta S is listed for lease at $269 for 36 months. With $3,999 due at signing, the effective rate is $380, making the ID.4 a significantly better deal.
Volkswagen ID.4 (Source: Volkswagen)
Volkswagen’s deals vary by region. The $129 offer is available in California and a few other West Coast states. In others, it’s listed at $329 for 24 months with $4,499 due at signing.
The Volkswagen ID.4 is available in five different trims: Pro, AWD Pro, Pro S, AWD Pro S, and AWD Pro S Plus. The base 2025 ID.4 PRO RWD starts at $45,095 with up to 291 miles of driving range.
Volkswagen ID.4 interior (Source: Volkswagen)
Although the ID.4 lease offer is tempting, Hyundai may still have it beat with the 2025 IONIQ 5 available to lease from $179 per month nationwide.
Volkswagen’s offer ends on September 30, when the federal EV tax credit is set to expire. After that, much of the savings will disappear unless the company steps in with its own incentives.