Mobius Motors Acquired By Silver Box

Kenyan based automaker, Mobius Motors, is set to resume operations after completing its acquisition by Middle East-based investor Silver Box.

The investor has already restated Mobius Motors’ service centre and resumed vehicle servicing at the garage in Nairobi. . Mobius 3 production is expected to resume ramping up by July 2025, and an entirely new model of a 4×4 off-road SUV will be launched in December 2025. A new phase for the company will start, emphasizing wider access and market.

This acquisition has also brought about a leadership overhaul with John Kavila being appointed as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO), taking over from Nicolas Guibert.

At the same time, the car assembler has seen a leadership overhaul; John Kavila has been appointed chief operating officer (COO), taking over from outgoing chief executive Nicolas Guibert.

“I am deeply honored to lead Mobius Motors at this crucial juncture in its life,” said Kavila. “With the solid foundation laid behind us, our focus will now be on increasing market share and making our vehicles available to the Kenyan consumer.”

Founded in 2009 by Joel Jackson, a British national, while working in Kenya, Mobius pioneered a stripped-down SUV model “built for African roads” in 2014. The first model cost $10,000, significantly lower than the market prices of standard SUVs in Kenya.

The startup built 50 units of its first model. It released Mobius II and Mobius III in 2018 and 2021 respectively, as successors of the first model, but failed to capture the Kenyan car market flooded with second-hand imports from the UK, Japan, and other Asian countries.

With renewed investment, a leadership shake-up, and a clear roadmap for expansion, Mobius Motors aims to redefine locally manufactured vehicles. As production ramps up, more versatile and high-end models for Kenya’s varied driving conditions will soon be on the roads in Kenya.

Before announcing its voluntary liquidation plans, Mobius had already raised $56 million across five funding rounds. The company was forced to liquidate after reportedly struggling to settle suppliers and pay salaries as debts from its operations increased.