Dodai Group

Dodai Manufacturing PLC is an electric vehicle company operating in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that assembles and sells electric motorcycles. The company was established in 2023 by Japanese entrepreneur Yuma Sasaki, who serves as the CEO. Sasaki's background includes work on renewable energy projects in West Africa, a role as Head of Sales at Uber Japan, and experience launching an e-scooter sharing service in Japan with Luup. His motivation to start a business in Ethiopia stemmed from the country's large, youthful population and the opportunity to address significant transportation challenges in a market with limited foreign investment.

Dodai's business model centers on the local assembly of electric motorcycle parts imported primarily from China, a necessity due to Ethiopian regulations that restrict the import of fully assembled vehicles by foreign-backed companies. The company generates revenue through the direct sale of its electric motorbikes. Initially targeting delivery drivers, Dodai found its first customers were more educated, wealthier individuals who understood the cost benefits and then rented the bikes to gig workers. The company has since established partnerships with delivery and logistics firms like EthioPost, Little, BeU, and Rungoo. To make its products more accessible, Dodai offers a buy-now-pay-later model in partnership with VisionFund, a microfinance institution.

The company's core products are two models of electric motorcycles. One model has a top speed of 60 km/h and a range of 120 km per charge, while the other reaches 50 km/h with a 110 km range. A key feature is the use of high-quality lithium-ion batteries, which offer a longer lifespan and better performance compared to the lead-acid batteries used by many competitors. The bikes are capable of traveling up to 150 km on a single charge and feature a digital panel, LED lights, and a cargo rack with a 20 kg capacity. Recognizing infrastructure challenges, Dodai is developing a battery-swapping network. In a partnership with Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH), the country's sovereign wealth fund, Dodai plans to deploy 100 swap stations in Addis Ababa, with a long-term goal of 300. This strategy aims to reduce the initial purchase price by nearly half by selling the bike without the battery, which customers would access via a subscription or pay-per-swap model.

Keywords: electric motorcycles, e-mobility Africa, Ethiopia transportation, Yuma Sasaki, vehicle assembly, lithium batteries, battery swapping network, gig economy, asset financing, last-mile delivery, Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Investment Holdings, sustainable transport, two-wheeler EV, emerging markets, clean energy, urban mobility, VisionFund partnership, EthioPost partnership, Musashi Seimitsu