Nairobi — E-commerce platform Jumia has entered a partnership with California-based EV solutions provider, BILITI to introduce a fleet of electric tuk tuks in its delivery fleet.
The two companies have successfully completed the pilot project, and are set to scale the fleet within Kenya in the first phase, and eventually across Africa.
"We are committed to building a supply chain that will minimize the environmental impact of our operations. The introduction of these e-Vans (Tuk-Tuk) to our delivery fleet is an integral milestone in our journey towards realizing our ESG objectives," said Jumia Kenya CEO, Juan Seco
The electric tuk tuks will see Jumia's delivery agents earn more by switching from fossil-fuel motorcycles, allowing them to deliver more orders more quickly and efficiently.
BILITI electric tuk tuks are designed for commercial last-mile deliveries offering a range of 100 km per charge, a load carriage capacity of 500 kg, and a top speed of 50 kmph.
The tuk tuks have a 'SmartSwapp' technology that will enable the rider to simply swap the vehicle battery and get recharged in less than a minute.
"We are thrilled about this partnership with Jumia and the important role we will play in helping the company progress towards its sustainability and ESG goals. EVs help save on high costs compared to any internal combustion engine vehicle. We are confident that we will be able to help JUMIA to offer faster, clean, cheaper, and more convenient last-mile deliveries," said Rahul Gayam, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of BILITI Electric.