Kenyan-Built Roam Air Electric Motorcycle Sets Unofficial World Record on Solar-Only Africa Crossing
A team of researchers from Stellenbosch University has ridden an electric motorcycle from Nairobi, Kenya to Stellenbosch, South Africa — 6,200km — without plugging into a single grid socket. Every charge came from a mobile solar plant strapped to a support trailer.
Along the way, they set an unofficial world record: 1,009.3km covered on a single charge cycle in one day, the furthest an electric motorcycle has ever been ridden in a 24-hour period.
The motorcycle they used was a Roam Air — built in Kenya, equipped with a 3.24kWh battery, rated for roughly 80km per charge, and capped at 117km/h. Getting 1,009.3km out of it in one day required creative logistics, but that was partly the point.
Why Researchers Rode an Electric Motorcycle Across a Continent
Stellenbosch University engineering professor Thinus Booysen framed the journey as more than spectacle. “This was really more than a publicity stunt and more than just a simple test,” he told Radio 702. “Motorcycles already carry livelihoods in the rest of Africa. Electrifying them is not just a distant idea — it’s something immediate. An immediate opportunity that can reduce cost, reduce fuel dependence, and improve air quality and local industry.”
The trip was designed to stress-test whether African-built hardware powered by African solar resources could viably support the continent’s next generation of transport infrastructure. Booysen, who founded Stellenbosch University’s Electric Mobility Lab in October 2024, has been collaborating with Roam on product development.
The Team
The Roam Air was ridden by Stephan Lacock, a mechatronics engineer currently pursuing his PhD at Stellenbosch on EV conversion for sub-Saharan minibus taxis, and now serving as Roam’s market lead in South Africa. Energy expert Jason Samuels, managing director at Green X Engineering and holder of a PhD in electrical engineering, managed the solar charging strategy. Masa Kituyi, a mechanical engineer and product owner at Roam, rounded out the core riding team.
Support vehicles — a Toyota Fortuner, a Toyota Hilux single-cab, and a 4×4 overlanding trailer — were driven by Henro Lacock, Ryno Lacock, and Hanno Erwee.
The Solar Setup
Charging across 12,400km of total journey distance (the Roam Air covered half; support vehicles covered the rest) relied on a mobile solar plant with a 20m² panel array, a 5kVA hybrid inverter, and a 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery bank. No external power source was used at any stage.
“Recharging Hope”
The entire journey was captured in a seven-episode documentary titled Recharging Hope, filmed by industrial engineer and cinematographer Lewis Seymour.
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