Richard Parsons funds Mobius Motors $10,000 truck project
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Kenyan startup Mobius Motors is ready to put its back-to-basics truck into production.
In the works for several years, the two-door truck was designed to bring durable, affordable transportation to rural areas of the African nation.
The company has now received funding from the Richard Parsons' Pan-African Investment Company to build the first 50 trucks.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Mobius 2 is a body-on-frame SUV with seating for up to eight passengers. Its squared-off shape was developed to make repairs easy, while it does without air conditioning or side window glass to further keep costs down.
Weighing just 2,800 pounds, Mobius 2 gets by with an 86 hp four-cylinder engine, but has a cargo capacity of over 1,300 pounds. With over 10-inches of ground clearance and approach and departure angles similar to a Jeep Wrangler its ideal for Kenya’s network of dirt and poorly-maintained roads.
Two years ago the company was aiming for a $6,000 price tag, but that’s risen to $10,000. Nevertheless, the locally-made Mobius 2 costs about half of what typical pickup trucks go for in Kenya.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}There are currently no plans to export the truck to North America, but Mobius hopes to eventually expand across the African continent.