South Africa Battery Swapping Case Study: TYCORUN & Atom-Moto

Background

Atom-Moto operates an electric two-wheeler rental business in South Africa, serving riders who depend on motorcycles for commercial and delivery operations. As its fleet expanded, the company needed more than electric motorcycles alone. It required a complete operating system covering vehicles, batteries, battery swapping infrastructure, and fleet management.

TYCORUN worked with Atom-Moto to develop a battery swapping system built around four operating requirements:

• Vehicles needed sufficient power, range, and durability for intensive commercial use.
• Batteries needed to support frequent swapping and centralized lifecycle monitoring.
• Battery swap cabinets needed to remain available under local operating and power conditions.
• Fleet operators needed better visibility into vehicles, batteries, swap stations, and service activities.

Solution

Electric Motorcycle Fleet

TYCORUN supplied 626 swappable electric motorcycles for Atom-Moto's commercial fleet. Each motorcycle uses a 4.5kW powertrain and supports one or two 73V 45Ah swappable batteries.

• A mid-mounted motor configuration increases ground clearance around the drivetrain and helps the vehicle handle uneven road conditions.
• The maximum design speed is 85km/h.
• The motorcycles provide a range of up to 250 km with two batteries, depending on speed, load and road conditions.
• Maximum load capacity reaches 250kg.
• The chassis incorporates reinforced structural components, upgraded suspension, impact-resistant wheels, and wear-resistant tires for commercial operation.
• Remote vehicle locking supports fleet security and vehicle management.

Battery System

TYCORUN supplied 1,250 swappable 73V 45Ah semi-solid-state battery packs to support the deployed motorcycle fleet. The batteries are connected to a battery management system for operating data and status monitoring.

• IP67 protection supports operation in humid and rainy environments.
• Swappable batteries allow depleted batteries to be exchanged rather than waiting for motorcycles to recharge.
• Battery status data can be monitored through the management platform to support maintenance and fleet scheduling.

Battery Swap Cabinets

Forty-four 12-slot battery swap cabinets were deployed to support Atom-Moto's battery swapping network. Each cabinet integrates active air cooling for battery charging and operation.

• A reverse power module draws on stored battery energy to support continued cabinet operation during local power interruptions.
• NFC functionality simplifies rider authentication and the battery swapping process.
• The cabinets connect with the wider battery and fleet management system, allowing operators to monitor battery availability and station status.

Field proof: Watch Takealot riders swap batteries at a TYCORUN cabinet in South Africa.

Fleet in action: At another Takealot pickup location, riders use TYCORUN motorcycles, batteries and cabinets for their daily deliveries.

Management Platform

With technical support from TYCORUN, Atom-Moto carried out secondary development of the management platform and created the Atom-Moto Brain system. The platform connects vehicle, battery, station, and service data within one operating environment.

• Vehicle Management: Operators can monitor vehicle and rider-related operating data to support fleet coordination.
• Battery Scheduling: Battery inventory at individual swap locations can be viewed centrally, helping operators identify where batteries need to be replenished or redistributed.
• Battery Status Monitoring: Battery health, charge and discharge status, location, and temperature data can be monitored to support maintenance and lifecycle management.
• Service Management: Repair, rental, and other fleet service activities can be incorporated into the same management workflow, improving operational visibility.

Results

The project established a large-scale battery swapping operation combining vehicles, batteries, swap cabinets, and digital fleet management.

• 626 electric motorcycles supplied for commercial fleet operation.
• 1,250 sets of 73V 45Ah batteries supplied to support fleet circulation.
• 44 12-slot battery swap cabinets deployed across the operating network.
• 720+ battery swaps per day recorded as the system entered regular operation.
• 7-month payback period reported by Atom-Moto.
• Approximately 70% lower energy costs compared with its previous gasoline-based operating model.
• More than 40% lower maintenance costs reported after the transition to electric motorcycles.

The Atom-Moto project demonstrates how vehicles, batteries, swap cabinets, and fleet management can be deployed as one integrated operating system rather than as separate products. The resulting network gives commercial riders access to swappable electric motorcycles while giving the operator greater visibility over fleet and battery operations.