Introducing the First Woman to Journey Across Africa on an Electric Motorcycle

On October 14, 2022, I departed from my home in Barcelona, taking a 28-hour ferry ride to Tangier, Morocco. With no cell phone reception or Wi-Fi, I had ample time to mentally gear up for the 8,000-mile journey that awaited me.

From past experiences, I realized that plans rarely unfold as anticipated. For this expedition, my goal was to travel from Tangier down to Cape Town. While I had a general route and knew the countries I wanted to pass through, I lacked confirmed accommodations, a clear idea of the roads to take, and was uncertain about where to recharge my bike's batteries. I imagined knocking on doors to ask for electricity, but the actual experience was quite different.

Stepping off the ferry in the early afternoon, I was filled with excitement that the adventure was finally beginning, relief that my preparations had come together just in time, and a touch of anxiety about how far I would manage to travel. But first, I needed to determine my next steps.

Close to the ferry terminal, I spotted a few small buildings and a line of ATMs. I withdrew some cash, chatted with other travelers who had just arrived, and purchased a SIM card for Morocco from a street vendor. Securing cash and a SIM card are two priorities I always focus on right after crossing any border.

I’ve always had a deep curiosity about the world around us. In 2017, I left my job in tech sales to chase my ultimate dream: to travel the globe on a motorcycle. By the end of 2019, I had journeyed overland from Europe to Asia, explored Australia, and traveled from South to North America. In the spring of 2020, I set out from Morocco towards South Africa. However, when I reached Bamako, Mali, the pandemic had escalated, and borders began closing. With overlanding no longer an option, I decided to return to Senegal, leave my bike in Dakar, and fly back home to Germany.

A year and a half later, my life had transformed: I had just begun working at Cake, a Swedish company that specializes in lightweight electric motorcycles. The concept of long-distance travel on an e-bike had been brewing in my mind for some time, so during a team dinner in Milan, I pitched my idea to Stefan Ytterborn, the founder and CEO of Cake, who was sitting next to me. I shared my past adventures and my aspiration to traverse Africa on a Kalk AP, which has a top speed of 56 mph, weighs 176 pounds, and offers a range of three hours. To my astonishment, he didn't dismiss my idea; instead, he inquired how he could assist in bringing my plans to fruition.

Nonetheless, organizing the trip proved to be quite stressful. From my earlier travels, I was aware of the necessary steps—applying for a new passport with ample blank pages, checking mandatory vaccinations for certain countries, obtaining insurance, securing documentation for my motorcycle, gear, and luggage, and selecting security devices. The toughest aspect was prepping the bike and determining which spare parts to bring. As the bike wasn't designed for long-distance journeys, I had multiple discussions with my Cake colleagues to explore modifications that would meet my needs. Ultimately, the bike remained largely in its original state. We added a rack to carry my side panniers and a second battery on top, raised the handlebars, and installed a chain guard. I packed a few spare parts and a laptop that would enable my colleagues to perform a remote software update if necessary. (Fortunately, it was never needed.) Despite all the preparation, I never felt completely ready for the adventure.

In Tangier, I found accommodations about 50 miles from the port. Since I was unfamiliar with the battery range, I decided to have lunch and charge my batteries while still in the city. I came across a restaurant named Dakhla with a lovely terrace overlooking the coast. A man was standing outside, smiling, and I asked him in French if the kitchen was open and if I could use their electricity to charge my batteries. He quickly agreed but mentioned that the electricity was better in the building across the street. He took my battery and charger and went inside. Seeing my worried expression, he reassured me to relax. After my meal, he returned with the battery, and everything was fine, but that was the first and last time I left the batteries unattended during the entire journey.

From Tangier, I headed south through the desert towards Gambia, but trouble soon found me. Near a small town called Tan-Tan, I deviated from the main road to reach my accommodation for the night. The detour was 4.3 miles long with many stretches of deep sand, culminating at a fort. The scenery was breathtaking, and I decided to explore the desert. However, in my excitement, I ended up burning a fuse on my bike while riding in the deep sand. Fortunately, I had my phone to call the fort's owners for help since pushing the motorcycle through the sand wasn’t an option. I had a few spare fuses, so once I arrived at my lodging, I replaced the fuse and was soon back on the road, speeding through Mauritania and along the Senegalese coast.

Every evening, I spent one to two hours planning for the next day. Finding places with electricity was time-consuming since information wasn’t easily accessible. I often reached out to locals and devised strategies to cover as much distance as possible during daylight. I would chart my stops, estimate how long charging would take, and then find a place to spend the night. With accommodations that offered electricity being rare, I always had to prioritize these locations, making them the second most critical factor after finding a place to stay.

Wherever I stopped, people were astonished to see an electric motorcycle, many mentioning it was their first encounter with one. They were even more surprised when they realized I was journeying across the continent solo on it. Numerous locals and followers of my journey on social media were eager to assist in my mission, providing valuable information about my route. The biker community in Angola learned of my intent to cross into their country; they awaited me at the border, accompanied me to the next town, and offered advice on routes to take and charging locations as I continued south.

The journey from Guinea-Bissau to Guinea marked a pivotal moment that significantly influenced my perspective on the remainder of the trip. I consistently sought the most direct routes and those closest to the coast, as these typically had less elevation change. The nearest border crossing into Guinea was through the jungle, along a single-track path where vehicles couldn’t pass due to the lack of a proper road and the necessity of a river crossing without a bridge. Fellow travelers I connected with via a WhatsApp group for overland adventurers in West Africa warned against this route, citing its muddy conditions and the dangerous river. An alternative crossing further north was ruled out because it lacked charging stations and traversed mountainous terrain. Ultimately, I opted to attempt the jungle crossing with the assistance of two local men I met in the last village; they guided me and helped carry some of my luggage to extend my range.

Within just 10 minutes on the track, I was already caked in mud and had slipped multiple times. The daunting water crossing lay ahead, and I was tempted to turn back. However, the two men were incredibly encouraging and urged me to try the crossing. Gaining confidence, I forged ahead, uncertain of what would happen to the bike—but nothing went wrong. From that moment, I felt more assured riding through various terrains. I pressed on through Ivory Coast, Ghana, Cameroon, and Angola. Finally, after 124 days on the road since leaving Morocco, I entered South Africa.

Upon reaching Cape Town after four months of travel, I felt a mix of relief, joy, emotion, and exhaustion. I was—and perhaps still am—too weary to fully grasp what I accomplished, and it feels too early for deep reflection on this monumental journey. However, reading the messages I received during and after my travels deeply touches me. I am moved that my adventure not only inspired countless people around the globe but also motivated others to pursue goals they previously deemed too daunting.