Rivian spinout Also has ended an electric motorcycle pilot project in Kenya. The company received grant funding for the effort from the Shell Foundation. Also said it chose to focus on its consumer e-bike and autonomous vehicle roadmap instead.
Project scope and exit
The Shell Foundation funded the project to study driver income uplift, operational performance, and commercial viability. Also was expected to work on modular batteries, distributed charging, and a purpose-built electric motorcycle for African riders. The startup completed some early-stage work before walking away.
Company priorities
Also was spun out of Rivian in 2025. The startup is developing small autonomous vehicles through a partnership with DoorDash. Co-founder Chris Yu said urgency around autonomy led the company to drop the Kenya effort.
Product launch pressure
Also faced supply chain problems that delayed its first product, the TM-B e-bike. The premium bike finally began shipping to customers in early October. Early buyers have reported issues such as delivery damage and battery drain.
Also now plans to sell commercial cargo bikes, including four-wheeled models, to companies like Amazon. Those cargo products are next in its development pipeline. The Kenya grant funding will follow the project to support its ongoing development, according to Also.
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