Cake Kalk AP electric bikes enter service with anti-poaching effort

Swedish electric bike maker Cake have made their first delivery of their Kalk AP bikes to help the fight against poachers in Africa.

Rangers have long used off-road bikes to quickly navigate the bush, however their noise can alert poachers, while refuelling in remote locations is difficult.

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By contrast the Kalk AP is virtually silent and can be recharged with solar panels that become mobile charging stations. Rangers at the Southern African Wildlife College (SAWC) are already beginning to see results.

“The petrol bikes we’ve used previously have all been loud, heavy and expensive to keep running in these areas,” says Mfana Xaba, Anti-poaching Team Leader at SAWC. “The Cake bikes are quiet, which makes it easier for us to approach poachers undetected.”

The AP has been specially built for the tough task at hand including include 18in custom-made off-road tyres, a rear carrier to attach weapons or medical equipment and mudguards made of natural fibre biocomposite material.

The bikes also have an extra powerful headlight from Silva for effective night patrolling and together with the luggage manufacturer DB, Cake have developed a first aid kit to sit on the luggage rack to help treat injured animals.

The rest of the bike is standard with the electric motor producing 15bhp and the battery delivering enough for up to four hours riding in the bush.

The Kalk AP is available to buy for £21,200 but for that price Cake donate an AP to SAWC along with a charging station.

The beginning of the project comes on the back of the news that Cake have raised £43 million in funding to expand the business, including increasing manufacturing capacity and dealerships around the globe.

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Slice of Cake for park rangers: Kalk AP helps tackle elephant poachers

First published 01 February 2021 by Jordan Gibbons

A super-light electric bike has been adapted to sneak up on poachers in Africa. Swedish firm Cake have built the 80kg Kalk AP (Anti-Poaching) to help rangers working to protect endangered wildlife.

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The project aims to help officials combat the devastating effects of poaching on the continent’s most precious species.

Staff at the Southern African Wildlife College have helped make the bike completely fit for purpose in high temperatures and often hostile environments. The bike can even be charged using solar power.

Cake founder and CEO Stefan Ytterborn said: “Solar power, new technology, and a new category of vehicles can help save endangered species in Africa.

“We are honoured to be able to work with our partners on this initiative and to contribute to developing the means to help curb wildlife poaching.”

The bike isn’t just for use in Africa, you could buy one to ride around in the UK (or wherever you choose) and the company will supply a second ‘twin’ machine as part of a ‘buy-one-give-one’ charity initiative.

The second bike will then be delivered to an anti-poaching unit active in one of the 25 national parks where the Southern African Wildlife College manages anti-poaching teams.

And purchasing a Kalk AP also covers the donation of a solar panel and power station kit that enables the twin bike to operate in the African bush independent from the electric power grid.

All twinned bikes are linked up via the Cake connectivity platform, meaning that the donor customer can get updates on what is happening with the bike and how it is helping to combat wildlife crime.

A Kalk AP and the solar panel/solar kit will be around £20,000 with delivery starting in September.