Electric motorcycles are increasingly patrolling the vast grasslands of Kenya's Maasai Mara game reserve, part of a growing initiative to integrate Africa's energy transition into wildlife conservation efforts. These vehicles, charged by solar power, offer a quieter, more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional petrol-powered transport.
Joshua Kijape, a ranger with the Mara-Siana community, patrols the reserve on an electric motorcycle. He notes that the near-silent motor allows him to approach wildlife without disturbance and can be advantageous when tracking poachers. "With this bike, I can get closer to the animals without disturbing them," he said. "And when you are following poachers, they cannot hear you coming."
The adoption of electric mobility in the Maasai Mara aims to reduce fuel consumption and maintenance costs while minimizing noise pollution in one of Africa's most significant ecosystems. This shift is particularly timely during the annual wildebeest migration, a period that attracts large numbers of animals, tourists, and conservation personnel.
Jason Knauf, CEO of The Earthshot Prize, highlighted the significance of this development, stating that it demonstrates the energy transition's reach beyond urban centers. "Seeing electric vehicles reach the Maasai Mara during the Great Migration is powerful proof that the energy transition extends far beyond cities," Knauf said. "The Mara is one of the world’s most demanding environments, and if clean technology can prove reliable, affordable and effective there, it strengthens the case for scaling it across other conservation landscapes and remote communities."
ROAM, a Nairobi-based electric motorcycle company, sees the Maasai Mara as a crucial testing ground for its bikes, assessing their ability to withstand rugged terrain, long patrols, and remote conditions. "Nature is worth protecting, so we think it’s important to put our motorcycles and products out there," said ROAM CEO Filip Lovstrom. "By eliminating noise associated with petrol bikes, it creates a serene, quiet environment that is beneficial to both the animals and tourists."
Lovstrom also pointed to the economic advantages of solar charging. "Instead of shipping petrol all the way from the port of Mombasa out into nature to fuel a bunch of petrol motorcycles, you’re now able to charge them using solar, right where you are contributing positively to the environment," he explained. ROAM's electric bikes have a range of approximately 160 kilometers (100 miles) on a single charge. Charging stations can be established using relatively small solar and battery systems, plugging into a standard 10-amp socket.
The application of electric mobility extends beyond conservation to local communities, where motorcycles are often essential for transport in areas with poor road infrastructure.
Emboo River Camp has been utilizing electric safari vehicles since 2019, with all vehicles charged exclusively by solar power. Loic Amado, co-founder and co-director of the camp, described it as an "extremely good use case for electric vehicles," emphasizing their silent operation, sustainability, environmental friendliness, and cost-effectiveness.
Amado's other firm, EERA LAB, has expanded this sustainability effort to support 25 lodges across East Africa with solar power, wastewater treatment, and electric vehicle conversions. "Emboo was really a proof of concept and a test case," Amado said. "It was almost like our laboratory. We tried to prove the model there."
Emboo Camp has increased its electric vehicle fleet and more than tripled its solar energy system capacity. While electric safari vehicles are still scarce, concentrated mainly in the Mara and a few other conservation areas, the concept is gaining traction among larger safari operators, such as Asilia, which now uses an electric fleet.
EERA LAB has developed a monitoring dashboard to track energy generation and consumption, water levels, and recycling efforts, providing greater transparency for safari operators. Amado estimates that converting conventional safari vehicles costs between $35,000 and $45,000, with the investment recouping itself within two and a half to three years through savings on fuel and maintenance. The ultimate goal for Amado is to achieve net zero emissions for the Maasai Mara by 2035.