The British company Ox Delivers offers a car sharing service for electric trucks that you can assemble yourself. To be specific: The individual parts are produced in England and can be assembled in the destination country Rwanda.
Transporting goods through Germany is no longer a major problem. Motorways, for example, enable shipping by truck. The rail network in this country also represents an alternative. But that is not the case everywhere. An example is the rural areas of Rwanda.
Delivering food to the market is already a major challenge for many farmers there. Traditionally, they transport hundreds of kilograms of potatoes or bananas on bicycles over steep hills and in hot weather. At most, large companies can afford diesel trucks.
But since most of these vehicles are second-hand and are reaching the end of their life, breakdowns on unpaved roads are not uncommon. This inefficient practice means that farmers earn less and sometimes have to throw away high-quality food. However, a rethink is emerging. Because some farmers now have the opportunity to book electric trucks that are assembled on site.
Ox Delivers sends parts for delivery services in Rwanda
The Start-up Ox Delivers, based in Great Britain and Rwanda, is expanding its fleet with electric vehicles. The vehicles, designed specifically for the African market, are very cost-effective to operate and maintain and are therefore suitable for a service model.
The first prototype in 2016 was based on a diesel engine. A few versions later, the company switched to an electric model. Ox Delivers manufactures the trucks in the UK and ships the parts to Rwanda.
Local companies only have to assemble the vehicles there. These are tough enough to drive on unpaved roads and in bad weather and can carry up to two tons of cargo over 100 miles. Meanwhile, the trucks charge at night. Thanks to funding, Ox Delivers would like to expand the required charging infrastructure in the next step.
Delivery by truck should not be more expensive than by bicycle
Farmers and small businesses in Rwanda often do not have sufficient financial resources. Customers, on the other hand, simply book a spot on the electric truck via an app or a phone call and pay about as much as it would cost to make a delivery by bike.
The company initially tested the pay-as-you-go service with used diesel trucks. In the next step, Ox Delivers plans to expand the fleet of electric vehicles to 100. The diesel trucks will then be phased out. For customers, the delivery service can fundamentally change the way they work. For example, the owner of a small shop used to need a few days to restock bananas.
With the new service, this effort is eliminated. According to Ox Delivers, some customers who previously delivered potatoes by bike twice a week saw their income increase tenfold. At the same time, customers benefit. Because fast, inexpensive transportation can also help reduce the cost of food in the market.
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The article For farmers in Africa: You can assemble this electric truck yourself by Felix Baumann first appeared on BASIC thinking. Follow us too Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.