Two years ago, 23 students of Eindhoven University of Technology left on an 80-days round-the-world journey (23,000 kilometers) on the electric motorbikes they developed themselves. The aim of the enervating journey was to demonstrate the potential of electric transport.

Today Bas Verkaik, former spokesman for STORM and who is (almost) a Sustainable Energy technologist, created a new company “Spike” with some fellow students. With Spike they want to accompany and advise companies who want to make the switch from traditional driving to electric driving. A partnership has already been made with Koneksie (Amsterdam) which has created and developed the KIBO motorcycle for the Kenyan market.

Bas Verkaik: “Many people have a motorbike in Kenya, mostly of poor quality and not so eco-friendly. By designing and developing a motorcycle specifically for use in Africa, Kibo became the maker of the first purpose built motorbike called the K150. We were asked to cooperate together to build an electric version of the Kibo motorcycle.”

Kibo K150 with traditional internal combustion engine

Spike was asked to cooperate together to build an electric version of the Kibo motorcycle

What is the “Go Do” philosophy from Kibo?

Go Do is more than just a tag-line. It’s an idea. A manifesto. It’s something that binds Kibo as a company with their partners and customers. Go represents the journey, the spirit of taking on the open road to explore and meet new people, new cultures. Do is all about the amazing entrepreneurial spirit of Kenya and the desire to create, challenge and make lives better.

Not only Kenya is interested, Verkaik has spoken with other African policymakers. “I am also seeing a lot of possibilities in other continents, even in Europe. It’s our purpose to develop electric drivetrains which can be integrated in all kind of electric vehicles. Our first electric Kibo should be ready in the 4th quarter of this year.