An electric motorcycle in the Roam factory

 

Science to solutions: partnership to electrify motorcycles in Kenya

December 2025 | Back to Powerhouse Post

This post is part of a mini-blog series highlighting how the CSU Powerhouse Energy Campus and Energy Institute bring science to solutions to scale, a motto that defines our global impact.

Our previous blog in this series.

In January of 2025, a team of CSU engineering students traveled to Nairobi, Kenya to see first-hand the facilities and manufacturing process of Roam.  The students were part of a senior design team working to redesign the Roam electric motorcycle frame. 

The project is a partnership between the Energy Institute and Roam. Based in Nairobi, Roam seeks to electrify transportation in Africa by developing electric motorcycles and buses.  

Throughout the entire project, the design team worked closely with their CSU faculty advisors, John Mizia and Bryan Willson, and the Roam team.  

4 students. One on a motorcycle. One holding a laptop gathering data from the motorcycle. The other two stand in the background.
From left to right: Gabriel Castro, George Poggemeyer, Wesley Holmes, Taylor Meland

In April 2025, students tested their frame against the original frame in real-world scenarios by attaching sensors to both frames and analyzing the data. The result: a lighter frame that requires fewer welds to manufacture.

While the frame redesign team’s work has wrapped up, the partnership continues. A new senior design team is developing a robotic welding arm. Their final results will be presented at E-Days in April 2026. 

5 students stand around a robotic arm on a table with their advisor looking on.
Project advisor John Mizia meets with team members Ben Gujer, Greg Hider, Tamsin Izard, Dexter Shafer-White, and Gage Steinke.
Wesley working on a motorcycle in the Roam factory in Kenya

Additionally, Wesley Holmes, one of the students on the frame redesign team, has since moved to Kenya to earn his master’s degree. His hands-on applied research focuses on advancing Roam’s manufacturing capabilities. The end goal being that Roam will manufacture their own frames in Kenya, giving them more control over their supply chain while creating jobs.