Mobius Motors

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Mobius Motors

logo
legal form Limited
founding 2010
Seat Nairobi , Kenya
management Joel Jackson
Branch vehicles
Website https://mobiusmotors.com/

Mobius Motors Kenya Ltd. is an automobile manufacturer founded in 2010 for the African market . The name Mobius comes from the so-called Möbius strip , which represents a special mathematical surface.

Mobius Motors designs, constructs, tests, produces and sells SUV vehicles for the rough road conditions and rugged terrain in many parts of the regional African infrastructure. Mobius takes a simplified design approach to produce durable, affordable vehicles. This enables Mobius to compete with used vehicles that currently dominate the East African automotive market.

It is the only official motor vehicle manufacturer in Kenya and currently the only operational OEM in the East African region.

Key people

Joel Jackson is the founder and CEO of Mobius Motors. Prior to founding Mobius, Jackson worked on the business strategy of a micro-forestry social enterprise in rural Kenya. He also advised companies in Europe and North America as a management consultant . He received the TED Fellowship and Echoing Green Fellowship. Joel Jackson is a graduate of Imperial College London with a first class degree in computer science.

history

2009-2011

Joel Jackson saw the need for a rugged, affordable vehicle to improve transportation in Kenya, especially in rural areas. He formed a small team which, after ten months of research and development, built the "Mobius I", the first prototype from Mobius Motors. The Mobius I provided valuable insights and shaped Jackson's approach to a simplified design and the intelligent use of finished and proven components in order to keep development costs low.

Initially, the company operated from a small shed in Kilifi , on the Kenyan coast. The company then first moved to Mombasa and then to Nairobi , where the current headquarters and showroom are located in the Sameer Business Park on Mombasa Road.

Jackson formally registered Mobius Motors as an automobile manufacturer in 2010. He built up the company's operations independently until additional external financing was obtained in 2012.

2011-2016

The first round of funding allowed Mobius Motors to begin designing and developing the second prototype. This eventually led to the first production model. This improved model was called "Mobius II" and offered a more sophisticated design and better technology than the previous model.

In May 2014 it was announced that with the support of billionaire Ronald Lauder a small series of 50 cars would be produced in the same year. The price has now been quoted at 10,000 US dollars or 870,000 Kenyan shillings . The first model was set in October 2014 with the price at 950,000 schillings.

Later in 2014, the long-awaited first production units of the Mobius II hit the market. Despite concerns about the postponement of the launch date, the vehicles were very well received. A minimalist design was used for the Mobius II, which retained the basic functionality and initially dispensed with the options of modern cars such as power steering, door handles, GPS navigation and glass windows.

The 50 vehicles that Mobius Motors had produced in collaboration with KVM (Kenya Vehicle Manufacturer) were sold out in June 2016.

Models

The Mobius I remained a prototype. This was followed by the Mobius II . Both are explicitly designed for the needs of African consumers. Dispensing with features such as air conditioning and power steering reduces weight and costs. The production model from October 2014 offers eight seats. The payload is specified as 625 kg.

According to the manufacturer, a driving four-cylinder - petrol engine with 1,598 cc displacement and 86 hp power to the vehicles. The maximum speed is given as 120 km / h. With a wheelbase of 2300 mm, the vehicles are 3883 mm long, 1805 mm wide and 1874 mm high. The curb weight is given as 1275 kg.

The Mobius III was announced for 2016 in May 2014 and again in October 2014.

Mobius I - the prototype

Mobius I was Mobius Motors' first prototype; a functional vehicle, consisting of a tubular steel frame and mainly off-the-shelf parts (existing components of other vehicles). Despite the construction costs of KES 1.4 million, the prototype looked like a "dune buggy" according to the founder. Although the prototype Mobius I was made by welders and mechanics from the Jua Kali industry (informal sector in Kenya of small traders, artisans and entrepreneurs), it already proved that there is potential to build a car that has both paved city streets and can drive on unpaved roads in rural areas. Based on this prototype, the subsequent Mobius II was developed.

Mobius II (1st generation)

After increasing external funding, Mobius Motors started work on the next prototype for the first production model. The Mobius II (first generation) presented itself in more detail in terms of technology and design; developed by a team of professional engineers. The cost of building this second prototype was KES 1.5 million, with a record development plan of just three months.

In October 2014, Mobius Motors started production of the Mobius II (first generation) with a sales price of around KES 1 million. This price made it the cheapest new vehicle in Kenya.

From now on, the name Mobius II refers to the vehicle segment (vehicle class), not to the sequential continuation of the prototype Mobius I.

Information

  • The Mobius II body is 3.9 m long, 1.8 m wide and 1.85 m high with a ground clearance of 28 cm. The vehicle has an empty weight of 1265 kg and a max. Load capacity of 625 kg.
  • The Mobius II is powered by a 4-cylinder petrol engine with 1598 cm³ and an output of 63 kW at 5500 rpm. With the 5-speed manual gearbox, the vehicle reaches a top speed of 120 km / h.
  • The maximum torque of 128 Nm is reached at 3000 rpm.
  • The 3-door Mobius II is designed for eight passengers, 2 in the front and 6 in the rear seats.

Although the market had accepted the vehicles well and all 50 cars were sold out in June 2016, the Mobius II has been described by some critics as being too Spartan. For example, the vehicle lacked air conditioning, power steering and lockable doors, and it only offered canvas instead of glass for the side windows. The car had a lockable compartment in the center console that owners could use to keep personal items safe to prevent theft.

Customers also had no options for additional or special equipment, a restriction that is counteracted in the new model with several equipment variants and options.

The new Mobius II (2nd generation)

The new Mobius II (2nd generation) has a longer and wider body. It measures 4.2 m in length, 1.9 m in width and 1.8 m in height with a wheelbase of 2.4 m. The car also has an improved ground clearance of 33 cm.

  • The curb weight is 1650 kg and the maximum payload is 625 kg.
  • The vehicle is powered by an in-line 4-cylinder petrol engine with a capacity of 1798 cc. With a double camshaft (DOHC), 16 valves and variable valve timing (VVT), it achieves 98 kW at 5600 rpm. The car is equipped with a manual 5-speed transmission.
  • The maximum torque for the new Mobius II is 182 Nm in a speed range from 3600 to 4600 rpm.

The new Mobius II (2nd generation) is an improvement on the first Mobius II in terms of a slimmer design, a more robust chassis structure as well as improved suspension and optimized weight distribution. Mobius Motors is also introducing power steering, glass windows, lockable doors and an infotainment system in the new model . A harder frame structure also improves the ability to withstand heavy loads from rough road surfaces. The new vehicle will be available in different colors and with a selection of additional options such as air conditioning, alloy wheels or roof racks.

With the new Mobius II, customers have the option of choosing equipment variants in a price range from KES 1.3 million to KES 1.6 million. Buyers can choose between three equipment levels for the new Mobius II (Cargo, Adventure and Adventure Plus), the latter also including GPS navigation, Wi-Fi connectivity and Bluetooth . This diversification allows Mobius Motors to reach a wider audience than the first generation model.

Perhaps the most notable improvement in the design of the new Mobius II (2nd generation) is the development of an expandable ladder frame. This enables the vehicle to be used for local public transport, medical transport (ambulance) and also for the delivery of goods.

Strategic outlook

Concept cars

Mobius Motors has announced the expansion of the use of the vehicles based on the expandable ladder frame. This is particularly suitable for the delivery of products and services, for local passenger transport and as a mobile medical ambulance. The next generation of the Mobius II will be the first vehicle from Mobius Motors with this enhancement feature. The company also intends to offer hybrid and electric drives in the future .

Mobius Motors plans to expand its distribution activities by opening further Sales & Service Centers in Mombasa in 2019 and also in the west of Kenya in Kisumu. In the East African region, the company focuses on the markets in Uganda and Tanzania . Other market areas in Africa are primarily aimed at the West African region, particularly Nigeria .

The planned production

After receiving funding from the United States Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Mobius Motors announced plans to set up its own manufacturing facility. The facility will be the first of its kind in Kenya, as other vehicle manufacturers focus only on commercial vehicles or the easy assembly of components. The company hopes that the new factory will provide greater control over time, production processes and the entire production framework. In this way, Mobius Motors avoids historical challenges that came with delays in vehicle production. In addition, the company is investing in an expanded research and development area in order to accelerate future product developments and the general development process.

Mobius Motors in the media and in science

International media houses like Forbes, Venture Beat, Fast Company , Wired and Reuters have highlighted efforts to get Joel Jackson to develop a vehicle for the often overlooked African market, drawing on and nurturing local talent in the process. In 2017 Stanford Business School wrote a case study on Mobius Motors and outlined its commitment to making an African car that is affordable and durable for local needs and road conditions.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Gina Jorasch, Michael Kennedy, Josper Sorensen: Mobius Motors: Building an African Car. In: Stanford Business School. 2012.
  2. ↑ a b Michael Coren: The new stripped-down SUV that will change transportation in Africa. Fast Company, 2011.
  3. ↑ a b c James Kariuki: US tycoon invests in assembly of Africa's cheapest car in Thika. Business Daily, May 11, 2014.
  4. ↑ a b c Jonathan Ramsey: Mobius Motors back-to-basics SUV almost ready for Africa Autoblog. 2014.
  5. ↑ a b c Matthew Jarcer: Mobius motor. Africa's own car company In: Automobile Magazine. 2014, Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  6. ↑ Jane Wakefield: TEDGlobal: The low-tech $ 6,000 car made for Africa. In: BBC News. 2012, Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  7. ↑ Overview. In: Mobius Motors. 2018.
  8. ↑ a b c CNN: Kenyan car manufacturer set to launch SUV for African market. In: Citizen Digital. 2018.
  9. ↑ a b Mobius Motors secures Sh500M from US govt to set up new factory. In: The Kenyan Wall Street. 2018.
  10. ↑ a b Moses Kemibaro: Kenya's Mobius Motors To Launch Mobius II Model In 2017. In: Moses Kemibaro blog. 2016.
  11. ↑ a b Simon Ciuri: Thika assembler starts building Africa's cheapest car. In: Business Daily. 2013.
  12. ↑ a b Stellar Murumba: Kenya's Mobius car sells out new generation model. In: Business Daily. 2017.
  13. ↑ a b c d e f Simon Ciuri: Low cost Kenya made car on sale at Sh950,000. October 23, 2014 (accessed July 23, 2016)
  14. ↑ a b c d e Garrett McCullum: Independent thinkers: Mobius Motors and the other transportation revolution. In: VentureBeat. 2011.
  15. ↑ a b James Kariuki: US tycoon invests in assembly of Africa's cheapest car in Thika. May 11, 2014 (accessed July 23, 2016)