Also, the micromobility startup spun out of Rivian in 2025, quietly started and then walked away from an electric two-wheeler pilot project in Kenya earlier this year, as it sought to focus its resources on its consumer e-bike and autonomous vehicle ambitions, TechCrunch has learned.
The project received grant funding from the Shell Foundation, an independent charity established by the British oil and gas giant Shell plc. A section of the Shell Foundation’s website that has since been removed said the project’s goal was to “enable and de-risk global OEM entry into Africa’s EV market by piloting a locally integrated electric two-wheeler platform in Kenya, with potential to scale across East Africa.”
According to the deleted section, Also was expected to work on modular battery designs, distributed EV charging, and planned on “developing a purpose-built electric motorcycle for African riders.”
The opportunity for electric motorcycles seems ripe on the continent, which has a massive two-wheeler market. African mobility company Spiro recently said it has more than 130,000 electric motorcycles operating across seven countries, along with 2,500 battery-swapping stations. This boom has drawn interest from Chinese mobility companies and investors, which are pouring resources into the space.
” Also said the grant funding it received from the Shell Foundation “will follow the project to support its ongoing development,” but declined to offer specifics.
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