One Moto: An Inspiring Journey of a Biker

In 2016, Adam Ridgway embarked on a journey that would not only reshape his personal automotive preferences but also lay the foundation for the electric vehicle brand and company known today as One Moto.

Ridgway's odyssey began with a seemingly modest endeavor: Converting his classic car into an electric vehicle. However, this seemingly straightforward task would soon unveil a revelation about the state of electric vehicle (EV) expertise within the automotive industry.

Ridgway's quest led him to visit three garages, each supposedly equipped to handle the conversion of his cherished automobile. To his surprise, none of these establishments possessed the requisite know-how to undertake the task. Despite their initial willingness to convert his car, the glaring gap in expertise was evident.

Beyond the garage doors lay a graveyard of battered delivery bikes -- a silent testament to the untapped potential of electric vehicle conversion.

The turning point arrived in the form of an epiphany for Ridgway. A lifelong aficionado of two-wheeled mobility, he pondered why electric motorbikes remained absent from the urban landscape.

"I've always been a biker in every country I have lived in or visited. I'm always the first person to get on the moped and start exploring; it is sensory. I have always been a rider. I thought, why isn’t anyone driving an electric motorbike? Maybe it wasn’t sexy," Ridgway tells Inc. Arabia. 

Residing in Dubai for over 15 years, Ridgway had already established successful media companies in the region. Yet, the allure of venturing into the electric vehicle domain proved irresistible. He embarked on a thorough exploration of different markets, aiming to decipher the intricacies of this emerging industry and to develop an electric delivery motorbike.

OneMoto, a company conceived by Ridgway in partnership with Stephen Wood, is dedicated to designing and building electric two-wheelers. In the nascent stages, capital was scarce, and Ridgway hinged his venture on the reserve cash at his disposal.

The primary objective was clear: Create vehicles, obtain certifications, achieve post-revenue status, secure repeat customers, and, in an ideal world, embark on a path of international expansion.

Vital to OneMoto's journey was the rigorous testing the electric bike endured, including the unforgiving crucible of hot-weather trials, a prerequisite for the scorching Gulf region. These trials served as an invaluable crucible for understanding customer needs and refining the bike.

Today, OneMoto's reach spans ten countries, including the UAE, UK, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ethiopia, Iraq, Chile, Bahrain, and Jordan. The company's niche lies in providing EVs to third-party logistics companies, a sector that witnessed exponential growth amid the global pandemic.

Despite the pandemic's challenges, OneMoto not only persevered but thrived in a world where doorstep deliveries surged, and supply chains faced unprecedented strains.

The company specializes in last-mile mobility solutions for both commercial and private use, forging strategic partnerships, such as the collaboration with AVIS, aimed at establishing the UAE's inaugural EV manufacturing facility.

OneMoto's uniqueness lies in its adaptable, modular approach to vehicle design, incorporating recycled materials to champion sustainability. "So, we've completed phase one of the business, we're in 10 countries, we're post-revenue, and we've generated profit," Ridgeway tells us proudly.

As the company charts the course for its next phase, ambitious plans include venturing into battery and software-as-a-service (SaaS), expanding international distribution, and establishing micro-assembly plants.

In January of this year, OneMoto secured a substantial $150 million investment from an undisclosed UK-based investor, earmarked for expanding operations in the UK and addressing decarbonization challenges within the last-mile delivery industry. A subsequent injection of $40 million in July reinforced the company's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions.

OneMoto's ambitions transcend terrestrial boundaries. Ridgway reveals collaborative efforts with a battery manufacturer to develop supercapacitors and a groundbreaking partnership with a UK space agency to manufacture vehicle parts in space.

This transformative move positions the company not merely as a producer of electric vehicles but as a pioneering provider of essential components that can be licensed globally, revolutionizing the entire EV manufacturing landscape.

With sights set on raising an additional $10 million, OneMoto boasts a diversified revenue portfolio encompassing sales, distribution, and upcoming deep tech licensing. Vehicle leasing adds another layer to the revenue stream.

The company's expansion plan includes 15 more countries and the establishment of four additional assembly plants across Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the UAE. In tandem, Adam Ridgway is fervently building a robust philanthropic arm and foundation to echo the company's commitment to social responsibility.