Electric motorcycle company ARC Ride has launched a battery-swapping service in South Africa aimed at reducing operating costs for last-mile delivery fleets.
The company unveiled its Panther electric motorcycle in Cape Town this week, alongside a network of battery-swapping stations and ARC Hubs in selected areas of Cape Town and Gauteng.
Under ARC Ride’s battery-as-a-service model, riders do not buy or charge their own batteries. Instead, depleted batteries can be exchanged for fully charged units at dedicated swap stations, with the batteries remaining the property of ARC Ride.
A fully depleted battery costs R50 to swap, while partially depleted batteries are charged according to the amount of energy used. ARC Ride says the concept removes the upfront cost and replacement risk associated with battery ownership.
Based on comparable operations in other African markets, the company estimates that lower energy and maintenance costs can reduce a delivery rider’s weekly operating expenses by up to 20%.
Headquartered in Nairobi, the company operates more than 5,000 electric motorcycles in Kenya and is expanding across Uganda, Ghana, and now South Africa.
Cape Town is currently ranked among the most congested cities globally. Transitioning delivery fleets and urban commuters to electric transport helps relieve gridlock on our roads while supporting regional decarbonisation targets
— Alan Winde, Western Cape premier
The Panther costs from R22,500, with rental and lease options available through ARC Ride fleet partners in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
Designed specifically for African urban conditions, the motorcycle is powered by a 5kW continuous-output electric motor with peak power of 10kW. It has a 292kg payload capacity and an average operational range of about 110km per charge.
Three riding modes are available, while integrated telemetry, vehicle tracking and fleet analytics allow commercial operators to monitor their motorcycles.
Standard equipment includes hydraulic disc brakes, a combined braking system (CBS) and full LED lighting.
Arc Ride’s South African launch follows a $33.3m (about R542.3m) funding round backed by investors including the International Finance Corporation, British International Investment, Novastar Ventures and Norrsken22.
The company says its South African network will expand as it increases the geographic reach and density of its battery-swapping infrastructure.
ARC Ride says it aims to build Africa’s leading interoperable battery-swapping platform, allowing fleet operators to switch to electric motorcycles without taking on the cost and risks associated with battery ownership.
Speaking at the launch, Western Cape premier Alan Winde highlighted the role of electric two-wheelers in addressing urban congestion and transport emissions.
“Cape Town is currently ranked among the most congested cities globally,” Winde said. “Transitioning delivery fleets and urban commuters to electric transport helps relieve gridlock on our roads while supporting regional decarbonisation targets.”
Business Day
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