Jumia Kenya has entered into a partnership with eBee Africa which will see the e-commerce giant employ electric bicycles for deliveries in Nairobi. eBee which will provide the solution is a Kenyan start-up established in 2020 that offers electric bicycles on a subscription basis for the delivery market.
The partnership will see a reduction in delivery fees for consumers and a higher income for the riders. This owes largely to the fact that E-bicycles do not consume fuel and have lower maintenance costs compared to ordinary motorcycles. At the same time, CO2 emissions will be reduced.
The electricity bicycles which will be deployed for Jumia deliveries in Kenya are equipped with powerful electric motors and batteries that can last an entire day of deliveries after a 4-hour charge.
eBee Africa will also be offering special rates for Jumia’s logistics partners to encourage the uptake of eco-friendly modes of transport.
Jumia Services Country Manager, Ankur Agarwal said, “The most exciting thing about e-bicycles and electric vehicles (EVs) more generally, is that they make business sense! It’s a win-win for society and the bottom line. This pilot with eBee is the beginning of a conscious push across Africa into EVs. We hope we can play a part, as early adopters, in speeding up the penetration of the industry in Africa.”
eBee Africa MD, Olivia Lamenya said, “eBee Africa provides the electric solution to mass transportation in rapidly-growing African cities. By partnering with Jumia, we aim to facilitate their deliveries in Nairobi using an end-to-end 0 emission transport network. Providing affordable, worry-free, and clean mobility contributes to our mission to empower every man and woman to do business and to be in charge of their future. Our audacious goal is having 1 million eBees on the road in sub-Saharan Africa by 2030.”
