OLA Energy inks deal with ARC Ride and Musashi for EV charging
OLA Energy Kenya has inked a tripartite partnership with ARC Ride and Musashi Seimitsu for establishment of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations at the oil retailer’s network of service stations.
Under the partnership, the 3 companies unveiled one of the first battery charging stations at OLA Peponi Road on Monday in a ceremony coordinated by OLA Energy Kenya’s General Manager Cyrine Draif, ARC Ride’s CEO Joseph Hurst-Croft and Musashi’s CEO Hiroshi Otsuka.
OLA also has battery charging stations at its service stations on Ngong Road and Lusaka Road in Nairobi.
“This initiative will not only enhance the adoption of electric mobility for OLA Energy Kenya but also play a crucial role in reducing carbon footprint and promoting clean energy for Nairobi communities. The installed charging booths at OLA service stations are currently recording over 5,000 battery exchanges per month,” said OLA.
Established in 2023, ARC Ride is an EV company based in Kenya and began assembling electric motorcycles in Nairobi last year.
Since late 2023, ARC Ride has installed 6 battery-swapping cabinets at OLA Energy sites (Lusaka, Ngong Road, and Peponi) and is looking to expand this partnership to additional locations within and beyond Nairobi.
Musashi Seimitsu is a global automotive supplier that produces a variety of propulsion products for vehicles. Founded in 1938, the company has expanded globally from its origins in Japan.
OLA is the fourth largest oil marketing company in Kenya with a market share of 5.93%m according to data from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
It has a wide network of service stations across the country, which can be utilized by EV firms to establish their chraging infrastructure amid the growing demand for EVs.
Vivo Energy is the leading oil marketing company in Kenya and commanded a market share of 22.24% as at June 2024.
It was followed by Rubis which had a market share of 15.56% while TotalEnergies had a market share of 15.06%.
The local EV market is currently enjoying a growth boom, which has attracted hundreds of EV firms to establish in Kenya, selling both imported and locally assembled electric cars, buses, three-wheelers and motorcycles.
As of December 2023, 2,694 EVs were registered in Kenya, bringing the cumulative number of registered EVs to 3,753, according to EPRA data.
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