TYCORUN Empowers Atom-moto with Solutions to Partner with Leading Delivery Platforms

Background:

Atom-moto is a leading local mobility and lifestyle service platform in South Africa, with a rapidly growing two-wheeler rental business. In line with government support for green mobility and electrification, Atom-moto saw the significant potential in the battery swapping business and partnered with TYCORUN. 

TYCORUN assisted Atom-moto in analyzing the local market environment and identified the following key challenges facing the South African mobility market:

• High fuel prices, with the average fuel cost for motorcycles reaching $3.25 per 100km, squeeze the income potential of both the platform and riders.
• Rural roads are generally potholed and complex, making two-wheelers prone to damage and high repair costs.
• South Africa's terrain is mostly plateau and hilly, with steep road gradients, placing higher demands on vehicle power and range.
• Under the previous gasoline-powered motorcycle fleet model, overall rider management was inefficient and lacked transparency.
• Fuel theft and misuse are common in gasoline-powered motorcycles, resulting in additional financial losses.

Solution:

Vehicle:
TYCORUN provides 626 4.5kW powerful electric motorcycles (73V 45Ah x 2) with swappable batteries, easily navigating local terrain.

• The mid-mounted motor design places the motor higher, making it suitable for handling potholes and preventing damage.
• The maximum design speed is 85km/h, meeting the high-efficiency demands of e-commerce logistics and distribution.
• The motorcycles offer a range of up to 250km and a load capacity of 250kg, making them ideal for logistics and distribution scenarios.
• Designed for potholes, they feature an upgraded shock absorption system, reinforced frame, impact-resistant wheels, and wear-resistant tires.
• Remote locking is supported, effectively reducing the risk of theft.

Battery:

1,250 sets of semi-solid-state 73V 45Ah batteries are provided, combined with an advanced BMS system to ensure stable battery operation.

• IP67 protection rating ensures resistance to high humidity and rainy environments.
• The battery swap model eliminates fuel theft and misuse, reducing platform monitoring and management costs.

Battery Swap Cabinets:

Forty-four 12-slot battery swap cabinets were deployed, each with a built-in active air cooling system to ensure stable battery life during charging.

• To address the widespread rolling blackouts in South Africa, a reverse charging module maintains the cabinets' operation.
• NFC support allows riders to swap batteries more quickly.
• Logo customization is available to enhance the Atom-moto brand's influence.

Takealot riders in South Africa experienced TYCORUN’s battery swapping cabinets for the first time:

At Takealot’s second pickup location in South Africa, riders are now operating TYCORUN electric motorcycles and utilizing the company’s batteries and swap stations:

Management Platform:

With technical support from TYCORUN, Atom-moto completed secondary development of the platform, creating the Atom-moto Brain management system. This system enables:

• Vehicle Dispatch: Real-time monitoring of rider and order locations improves order acceptance efficiency.
• Battery Scheduling: The system provides a visual overview of battery inventory at each station, allowing managers to schedule replenishment to ensure riders have ready access to batteries.
• Battery Status Monitoring: Real-time monitoring of battery health, charge and discharge status, location, and temperature changes ensures battery safety and facilitates maintenance.
• Service Management: Integrating repair, rental, and other services into the system management system helps reduce labor costs and improve management transparency.

Results:

• Return on investment achieved in 7 months;
• Energy costs reduced by approximately 70%
• Maintenance costs reduced by over 40%
• Rider income increased by 30%
• Platform management efficiency improved by over 50%
• Fleet emissions reduced by over 720 tons annually
• Successful partnerships with leading South African platforms such as Takealot and Uber Eats.

Atom-moto has not only established a solid market foundation in South Africa, but has also successfully expanded its business to African countries such as Zambia, Kenya, and Tanzania.