Also, the electric mobility startup spun out of Rivian in 2025, has discontinued an electric two-wheeler pilot project in Kenya to concentrate on its consumer e-bike business and autonomous delivery vehicles. The company confirmed that it had completed preliminary work on the project before redirecting resources toward its existing product development plans.
The initiative received grant funding from the Shell Foundation, an independent charity established by Shell plc. According to information previously published on the foundation’s website, the project aimed to develop electric motorcycles suited to African markets, supported by modular batteries and distributed charging infrastructure.
Kenya Pilot Ends After Preliminary Development
The Kenya initiative was intended to assess the commercial viability of locally integrated electric motorcycles and their potential expansion across East Africa. The Shell Foundation said the project would examine operational performance, potential improvements in driver income, and market demand.
In September, Also told TechCrunch that it had considered the project with an unnamed partner but ultimately prioritized its existing development plans. The company said the grant funding would remain available to support the project’s continued development, without specifying how the money would be allocated.
The Shell Foundation declined to provide additional information, citing a nondisclosure agreement with Also. Details of the project were subsequently removed from the foundation’s website.
Also co-founder and president Chris Yu explained at TechCrunch Disrupt that the company’s autonomous vehicle development efforts had become a higher priority. The company is working with DoorDash on autonomous delivery vehicles, which Yu believes could achieve commercial deployment sooner than larger autonomous passenger vehicles.
The decision comes as electric motorcycle adoption expands across Africa. Mobility company Spiro reported operating over 130,000 electric motorcycles across seven countries, supported by approximately 2,500 battery-swapping stations.
TM-B E-Bike Delays Complicate First Product Launch
Also’s decision to abandon the Kenya project followed repeated delays in delivering its first consumer product, the TM-B electric bicycle. Supply chain disruptions and certification requirements prevented the company from meeting its original delivery schedule, with shipments beginning in early October 2026.
Yu said the problems involved multiple components rather than a single manufacturing issue. The company faced competition for raw materials used in printed circuit boards for AI data centers and encountered difficulties meeting regulatory certification requirements.
Yu also acknowledged that Also failed to communicate adequately with customers awaiting their reservations during the summer. Early recipients subsequently reported problems, including shipping damage and unexpected battery drain.
Alongside its consumer e-bike business, Also plans to supply commercial cargo bicycles to companies including Amazon, with four-wheeled models among its planned products. The company expects its commercial vehicles and autonomous delivery systems to represent larger revenue opportunities than its initial consumer e-bike lineup.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.