Kenyan Universities will soon be able to access electric bikes and scooter services from ride-hailing app, Little Cab. The company is piloting the services at the University of Nairobi and Nairobi estates first as it seeks to diversify its offering beyond ride and delivery services.
Little will roll out the first 200 e-scooters and electric bikes to the Universities including Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Kenyatta University (KU).
According to CEO of Little, Mr Kamal Budhabhatti, the company will partner with the universities to allow students manage the bikes and ensure that they are charged.
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“We are also talking with some estates. 200 is a small number we are doing in universities. If the plan works well we will get 10,000 of these and assemble them locally,” said Mr Budhabhatti.
The service will cost Sh20 per hour with a 2-hour restriction for every ride. The two-wheelers will be fitted with a location-based technology that restricts movements within a virtual perimeter, in this case, the radius within which the service will be available. The universities will also provide security by ensuring the bikes are kept within the university’s premises.
“We are certain with micro-mobility services like bikes and scooters and if it works out well we will scale to motor vehicles.”
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The expansion follows a Sh540 million funding from investors for growth over the next five years, which includes plans to expand into Ethiopia
Mr Budhabhatti said the expansion into Ethiopia had been pushed back due to ongoing conflicts in the Tigray region.
“Expansion into Ethiopia slowed because of conflicts but things have stabilised and we hope between now and quarter four we will see substantial progress,” Mr Budhabhatti added.
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