Mobius Motors Kenya Ltd is a vehicle re-assembler founded in 2010. The company was incorporated in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

in 2010 and registered in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

in 2011. As of 2018, the company was in the process of building an in country manufacturing plant. The company manufactures SUVs (

sport utility vehicle A sport utility vehicle (SUV) is a car classification that combines elements of road-going passenger cars with features from off-road vehicles, such as raised ground clearance and four-wheel drive. There is no commonly agreed-upon definit ...

s) that can handle the rough roads and rugged terrain found in many parts of the regional infrastructure.Coren, Michael. 2011. The new stripped-down SUV that will change transportation in Africa. ''Fast Company.'' https://www.fastcompany.com/1767621/new-stripped-down-suv-will-change-transportation-africa

Name

The name comes from the

Mobius strip Moebius, Möbius or Mobius may refer to: People * August Ferdinand Möbius (1790–1868), German mathematician and astronomer * Theodor Möbius (1821–1890), German philologist * Karl Möbius (1825–1908), German zoologist and ecologist * Paul ...

, a special mathematical surface with a single surface and single boundary, first described by German

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...

August Ferdinand ''Möbius'' in 1858.

Key people

Joel Jackson is the founder and CEO of Mobius Motors. Prior to founding Mobius, Mr. Jackson worked on business strategy with an acclaimed micro-forestry social enterprise in rural Kenya. He also worked as a management consultant, advising top

Fortune 500 The ''Fortune'' 500 is an annual list compiled and published by '' Fortune'' magazine that ranks 500 of the largest United States corporations by total revenue for their respective fiscal years. The list includes publicly held companies, along ...

companies across

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

and North America. He is the recipient of the

TED TED may refer to: Economics and finance * TED spread between U.S. Treasuries and Eurodollar Education * ''Türk Eğitim Derneği'', the Turkish Education Association ** TED Ankara College Foundation Schools, Turkey ** Transvaal Education Depart ...

fellowship and

Echoing Green In audio signal processing and acoustics, an echo is a reflection of sound that arrives at the listener with a delay after the direct sound. The delay is directly proportional to the distance of the reflecting surface from the source and the li ...

Fellowship and a graduate of

Imperial College Imperial College London (legally Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine) is a public research university in London, United Kingdom. Its history began with Prince Albert, consort of Queen Victoria, who developed his vision for a cul ...

with a first-class degree in Computer Science.Cossins, Daniel. 2012. Joel Jackson quit Britain for Kenya to create a car brand for Africa. ''Wired UK.'' http://www.wired.co.uk/article/off-road-entrepreneur

History

2009–2011

On a visit to Kenya, Joel Jackson recognized the need for a rugged, affordable vehicle to improve transportation around the country, especially in rural areas. He formed a small team that spent ten months in research and development to produce the Mobius I, Mobius Motors’ first prototype.Wakefield, Jane. 2012. TEDGlobal: The low-tech $6,000 car made for Africa. ''BBC News''. https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18607443 The Mobius I provided valuable learning, shaping Jackson's approach to simplified design and smart use of off-the-shelf components to keep development costs low. Initially, the company operated out of a small shed in

Kilifi Kilifi is a town on the coast of Kenya, northeast by road of Mombasa. The town lies on the Kilifi Creek and sits on the estuary of the Goshi River. Kilifi is capital of the Kilifi County and has a population of 122,899 (2009 census). Kilifi i ...

on the Kenyan coast. The company moved first to

Mombasa Mombasa ( ; ) is a coastal city in southeastern Kenya along the Indian Ocean. It was the first capital of the British East Africa, before Nairobi was elevated to capital city status. It now serves as the capital of Mombasa County. The town is ...

and then to

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city prope ...

where the company headquarters and showroom are located at Sameer Business Park off Mombasa Road.Mobius Motors. 2018. Retrieved from https://mobiusmotors.com/pages/overview Before acquiring external funding in 2012, Joel Jackson bootstrapped the company's operations.

2011–2016

The first round of funding enabled the Mobius Motors to start the design and development of its second prototype and what would eventually become its first production model.CNN. 2018. Kenyan car manufacturer set to launch SUV for African market. ''Citizen Digital.'' https://citizentv.co.ke/news/kenyan-car-manufacturer-set-to-launch-suv-for-african-market-189549/ The improved model was named Mobius II and featured better design and engineering than its predecessor. In 2014, the first production of Mobius II hit the market to a warm reception, despite concerns regarding the company's pushing back of release dates.Kemibaro, Moses. 2016. Kenya’s Mobius Motors To Launch Mobius II Model In 201

. ''Moses Kemibaro blog'' The Mobius II employed minimalistic design, sticking to basic functionality and lacking such basic functionalities of modern cars as power steering, door handles, GPS navigation software, GPS navigation, and glass windows. Even then, the 50 vehicles produced by Mobius Motors in partnership with th
Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers
had sold out by June 2016.Murumba, Stellar. 2017. Kenya’s Mobius car sells out new generation mode

''Business Daily''Ciuri, Simon. 2013. Thika assembler starts building Africa’s cheapest ca

''Business Daily''

2016–present

After the initial production of the first 50 the Mobius II vehicles, the company discontinued its production and started to develop the next vehicle. The new Mobius II is scheduled for release in 2019 with an increased production potential of several thousand vehicles per year.Jackson, Joel. 2017. Mobius Motors. TED Talks https://www.ted.com/talks/joel_jackson_a_vehicle_built_in_africa_for_africa In early 2018, Mobius Motors closed its Series A equity financing and raised additional funding of Ksh 500 million from the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., federal district, five ma ...

Overseas Private Investment Corporation The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) was the United States Government's Development finance institution until it merged with the Development Credit Authority (DCA) of the United States Agency for International Development (USAI ...

(OPIC).Kenyan Wallstreet. 2018. Mobius Motors secures Sh500M from US govt to set up new factor

. ''The Kenyan Wall Street'' This investment allowed the company to set up a new factory in the industrial area of Nairobi near Mombasa Road. The new Mobius factory will be the only one in East Africa doing complete assembly of passenger vehicles with capabilities in fabrication, body shop, paint shop, general assembly, and final line testing. The new Mobius II will be the first car to be produced at the new factory. Full production will commence as soon as additional capital is raised.

The first prototype

Mobius I

Mobius I was Mobius Motors’ first prototype, a practical, no-frills vehicle composed of a tubular steel frame and off-the-shelf parts. In the founder's words, it looked like a ‘dune buggy’. Although the Mobius I prototype was built by welders and mechanics from the Jua Kali industry, ''Jua Kali'' industry (informal sector in Kenya comprising small-scale traders, craftspeople, and entrepreneurs), it proved that there was potential to build a car that could navigate both urban roads and degraded roads in rural areas. It was on the basis of this prototype that the company's subsequent Mobius II would follow.

Production models

Mobius II (first generation)

After raising external financing, Mobius Motors started work on the next prototype for the first production model. The Mobius II (first generation) featured more detailed engineering and design from a team of professional engineers. The cost for building this second prototype was Ksh 1.5 million, with the record development schedule of three months. In October 2014, Mobius Motors launched the production model Mobius II (first generation) at a retail price of about Ksh 1 million, a price that made it the most affordable new vehicle in Kenya.Madegwa, Clinton. 2017. This is the Mobius II: Kenyan-built all-terrain SU

''Dignited'' The Mobius II designation referred to the vehicle's body type, rather than as a sequential continuation from the Mobius I prototype Specs * The Mobius II body is 3.9 M long, 1.8 M wide, and 1.85 M high with 23 cm of ground clearance. It has a tare weight of 1265 kg and a loading capacity of 625 kg. * It is powered by a 4-cylinder, 1598 cc petrol engine with a capacity of 86 horsepower at 5500 rpms. The transmission is a 5-speed manual with a top speed of 120 km/h. * The maximum torque for the Mobius II is 128 Nm at 3000 rpms. * The 3-door Mobius II allowed eight passengers, 2 in front and 6 in the rear. While market reception was favorable and all 50 cars produced sold out by June 2016, the Mobius II was criticized by some for being too basic, particularly for use in more urban areas. For example, the vehicle lacked air conditioning, power steering, and lockable doors, and it offered canvas windows rather than glass. The car featured a lock-box in which owners could safely store their personal items to avoid theft. Customers had no options for customization of any of the car's features, a limitation that was addressed with the second-generation Mobius II.

New Mobius II (second generation)

The new Mobius II was a huge improvement on the previous Mobius II model. It featured a sleeker design, a more rugged chassis structure, improved suspension, and better balancing. Mobius Motors also introduced power steering, glass windows, lockable doors, and an infotainment system, features that were lacking in the first production model. A tougher frame structure also improved the car's ability to withstand heavy stress from rough road driving. The new model will be available in different colors and with a selection of additional options such as air-conditioning (AC), alloy rims or roof rack. Specs The new Mobius II (second generation) features a wider and longer body of about 4.2 M in length, 1.9 M width, 1.8 M height, and a 2.4 M wheelbase. The car also features an improved ground clearance of 330 mm. * It has a

tare weight Tare weight , sometimes called unladen weight, is the weight of an empty vehicle or container. By subtracting tare weight from gross weight ( laden weight), one can determine the weight of the goods carried or contained (the net weight). Etym ...

of 1650 kg and maintains the 625 kg loading capacity of the first generation. * A 4-cylinder Inline petrol engine with a capacity of 1798 cc, double overhead

camshaft A camshaft is a shaft that contains a row of pointed cams, in order to convert rotational motion to reciprocating motion. Camshafts are used in piston engines (to operate the intake and exhaust valves), mechanically controlled ignition systems ...

(DOHC), 16 valves and

variable valve timing In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing (VVT) is the process of altering the timing of a valve lift event, and is often used to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. It is increasingly being used in combination with varia ...

(VVT), producing 133

horsepower Horsepower (hp) is a unit of measurement of power, or the rate at which work is done, usually in reference to the output of engines or motors. There are many different standards and types of horsepower. Two common definitions used today are th ...

at 5600 rpms. The car is equipped with a five-speed manual

transmission Transmission may refer to: Medicine, science and technology * Power transmission ** Electric power transmission ** Propulsion transmission, technology allowing controlled application of power *** Automatic transmission *** Manual transmission ** ...

. * The maximum

torque In physics and mechanics, torque is the rotational equivalent of linear force. It is also referred to as the moment of force (also abbreviated to moment). It represents the capability of a force to produce change in the rotational motion of t ...

for the new Mobius II is 182 Nm in the range of 3600 to 4600rpms. With the new Mobius II, customers will be given the opportunity to choose configurations ranging in price from Ksh 1.3 million to Ksh 1.6 million. Buyers will get to choose between three trim-levels for the new Mobius II (Cargo, Adventure, and Adventure Plus) with the latter featuring GPS navigation, Wi-Fi connectivity, and

Bluetooth Bluetooth is a short-range wireless technology standard that is used for exchanging data between fixed and mobile devices over short distances and building personal area networks (PANs). In the most widely used mode, transmission power is limit ...

© among other features. This diversification was informed by the desire of Mobius Motors to reach a wider audience than with the first generation model. Perhaps the most remarkable improvement in the design of the new Mobius II (next generation) was the inclusion of an extendable ladder chassis that will allow future variants of the car to be used for public transport, medical transport (ambulances), and goods delivery. The geographical market for the car has also expanded to include

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

's neighbors

Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands ...

and

Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa. The country is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the south by Tanzania. The south ...

Mobius 3

The Mobius 3, a

rebadged In the automotive industry, rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a man ...

Beijing BJ40 was launched in 2021.

Strategic outlook

Concept cars

Mobius Motors has announced plans to diversify the utility of its vehicles by including an extendable ladder chassis to make it possible for their vehicles to be used for functions such as goods delivery, public transport, and ambulances. The next-generation Mobius II will be the first vehicle featuring this improvement. The company has also expressed interest in

hybrid Hybrid may refer to: Science * Hybrid (biology), an offspring resulting from cross-breeding ** Hybrid grape, grape varieties produced by cross-breeding two ''Vitis'' species ** Hybridity, the property of a hybrid plant which is a union of two diff ...

and

electric cars An electric car, battery electric car, or all-electric car is an automobile that is propelled by one or more electric motors, using only energy stored in batteries. Compared to internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, electric cars are quiet ...

in the future. Mobius Motors is looking to expand to the rest of the country by opening Sales & Service Centers in

in 2019 and later on in

Western Kenya After the 2013 general election, and the coming into effect of the new constitution, provinces became defunct and the country was now divided into 47 counties. Each county has its own government and therefore there is no central regional capi ...

with a service station in

Kisumu Kisumu ( ) is the third-largest city in Kenya after the capital, Nairobi, and the coastal city of Mombasa (census 2019). It is the third-largest city after Kampala and Mwanza in the Lake Victoria Basin. Apart from being an important politic ...

. The company is also projected to expand regionally and in the rest of Africa later on.

Planned car factory

After acquiring funding from the United States

(OPIC), Mobius Motors announced plans to build their own factory. The factory will be the first such production facility in the country as other vehicle manufacturers focus only on commercial vehicles or light assembly to finish nearly-built cars. The factory is expected to provide the company greater control over the timing and scale of its production, addressing its historical challenges with production delays. An expanded research and development space is also expected to accelerate future product development.

Marketing and placement

Brand values

According to Mobius Motors founder and CEO, the company aims to establish itself as the ideal automaker to spearhead the industrialization of the continent. The company upholds the values of affordability by using simplified user interface while maintaining durability with the use of a tubular steel frame. The Mobius Motors logo uses the properties of the

which has a single surface and single boundary, representing perpetuity and unity. The company targets the transportation needs of young entrepreneurs in agriculture and commerce. The company's marketing stresses the ability of their rugged vehicles to navigate the degraded roads around the country.McCullum, Garrett. 2011. Independent thinkers: Mobius Motors and the other transportation revolution. ''VentureBeat'' https://venturebeat.com/2011/06/21/independent-thinkers-mobius-motors-and-the-other-transportation-revolution/

Location

Mobius Motors' head offices is located at a showroom at Mombasa road in

. The company has also announced plans to open a new Sales & Service Center (SSC) in

in early 2019.

Mobius Motors in the media and academia

International media houses like Forbes, Venture Beat, Fast Company, Wired, and Reuters have praised the effort of Joel Jackson to create a car for the often overlooked African market and the empowerment of latent talent therein. Joel Jackson has also featured in TED Talk events discussing the vision of Mobius Motors to power entrepreneurship in Kenya, East Africa, and the African continent. The Stanford Business School wrote a business case on Mobius Motors in 2012, outlining the company's commitment to building an African car affordable and durable enough for local needs.Jorasch, Gina. Kennedy, Micahel. Sorensen, Josper. 2012. Mobius Motors: Building an African Car. ''Stanford Business School'' https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/faculty-research/case-studies/mobius-motors-building-african-car

References

{{Automotive industry in Kenya Car manufacturers of Kenya Manufacturing companies based in Nairobi Kenyan brands Kenyan companies established in 2009 Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 2009