Kenya EV Maker Targets Carbon Credit Market

Nairobi-based electric mobility firm Roam Electric Ltd has begun talks to monetise carbon-offset credits generated by its motorcycles while launching a global crowdfunding campaign to raise working capital. Each machine sold by Roam is designed to offset around three tonnes of CO₂ annually; with about 4,000 units currently in circulation, the company estimates roughly 12,000 tonnes of emissions reduction per year—equivalent to the output of some 2,600 typical US passenger cars.

Roam’s push into the carbon-credit trade forms part of a broader strategy: scaling production, expanding service infrastructure, and mobilising retail investors to support the continent’s electric-mobility transition. The crowdfunding initiative, hosted on a European equity platform, allows everyday investors to join a funding round usually reserved for institutions. Roam states the funds will bolster manufacturing, build charging networks and drive continental expansion.

Founded in Kenya and operational since the late 2010s, Roam developed its “Roam Air” electric motorcycle with commercial drivers and delivery operators in mind, emphasising durability, low-running costs and suitability for urban African conditions. The company’s manufacturing hub—dubbed Roam Park—claims annual production capacity of more than 50,000 motorcycles, underpinned by Kenya’s grid-mix that is approximately 80 per cent renewable.

Roam has built its business model around enabling cost-savings and improved income for two-wheeler operators. A case study conducted by a renewable-energy partnership found that riders switching to Roam’s electric platform reported up to 60 per cent improvement in daily earnings—thanks to lower fuel and maintenance costs. The same study noted CO₂ cut-backs of more than 90 per cent compared with petrol-powered alternatives.

Beyond manufacturing, Roam has developed support infrastructure: a network of solar-powered charging hubs and partnerships with financing firms that allow riders to pay for bikes via micro-payments rather than upfront purchase. Its financing partner, Fortune Credit, launched a programme in Kenya for over 600 motorcycles, requiring an initial deposit followed by daily payments over two years, with battery ownership transfer at the end.

The carbon credit component has drawn significant attention. Roam estimates each motorcycle’s three-tonne annual offset creates a tradable asset in the voluntary carbon-market, and is engaging potential buyers for those credits to generate a new revenue stream. Market observers note that Kenyan policymakers and early-movers in the mobility sector increasingly view carbon offsets as a viable value-add, particularly when tied to electric-vehicle deployment at scale.

Global demand for high-quality nature-based and mobility-related carbon credits has surged as corporations accelerate net-zero pledges, and Africa’s emerging-market mobility players are positioning accordingly. Analysts caution, however, that success in the offset market depends on rigorous measurement, reporting and verification standards, and transparent chain-of-custody for the credits generated. For Roam, proving that emissions reductions are real, additional and enduring will be key to unlocking meaningful revenue.

Roam is not alone in this space. Other African electric-two-wheeler firms and bus-manufacturers are exploring similar offset pathways. The broader sector, spanning ride-hailing, delivery vehicles and micromobility, is increasingly seen as an emissions-reduction frontier in developing economies. For Roam, leveraging its existing fleet as a credit-generation engine could provide competitive advantage: it gives the company a dual business model—vehicle sales plus offset monetisation.