● Roam launches Roam Explorer, a smart connectivity system that connects and manages electric vehicles across Africa.
● The platform works on any network, even in rural areas, allowing vehicles to be monitored remotely via smartphone or SMS.
● Its tracking battery health and performance features in real-time help prevent breakdowns and improve efficiency.
Kenyan electric mobility manufacturer Roam has launched a vehicle intelligence platform aimed at solving visibility, one of the most overlooked challenges in Africa’s electric mobility transition. The system, called Roam Explorer, enables the connection of electric motorcycles, tuk-tuks, buses, and cars to a centralized digital platform that tracks battery health, performance, location, and usage in real-time.
In many African markets, electric vehicles operate in environments with inconsistent connectivity and limited fleet data. For financiers and fleet operators, the inability to monitor assets remotely has slowed scaling and increased risk. Roam Explorer is designed to address that gap.
The platform operates on 2G, 3G, and 4G networks, allowing vehicles to remain connected even in rural areas. Operators can access vehicle data through a smartphone interface, while key functions can also be managed via SMS; a feature intended to expand usability beyond smartphone-dependent systems.
According to Roam, the system tracks battery health’s range, temperature, and overall performance in real time. By analyzing this data, the platform uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help predict maintenance needs and reduce unexpected breakdowns. Rather than positioning it as a feature add-on, Roam describes Explorer as the digital operating layer of its electric vehicles.
The system is expected to open new opportunities for asset financing by giving lenders like M-KOPA greater visibility over financed vehicles. Fleet managers can monitor performance across multiple vehicles, while riders receive insights that may improve safety and reliability.
Roam Explorer was designed and developed in Kenya in collaboration with Swedish technology partners. The company says the system reflects a broader shift from building electric vehicles to building connected electric ecosystems.
Habib Lukaya, Roam’s Country Manager, said: “Roam Explorer changes how electric fleets are managed. It moves us from reacting to problems to preventing them. By giving real-time visibility into battery health and vehicle performance, we are making electric fleets safer to operate and easier to finance.”
