Sinje Gottwald Becomes First Person To Ride Across Africa On An Electric Motorcycle
- The ride spanned 13,000 km and lasted 124 days
- Her journey started from Barcelona on October 14 2022 only to end on February 15 2023 in Cape Town
- Her vehicle of choice for the journey was a Cake Kalk AP electric motorcycle
On February 15 2023, Sinje Gottwald, an account manager from Cake, completed a 13,000 km journey on her Cake Kalk AP electric motorcycle from Spain to Africa. This made her the very first person to cross the African continent on an electric bike. She started her journey from Barcelona without any technical or medical support on October 14 2022 and rode till she reached the tip of Africa, Cape Town. The distance covered by her is the longest anyone in the world has ever been able to travel on an electric motorcycle.
She set off on her 124-day journey started from Barcelona, from where she ferried to Morocco, putting the electric dirt bike to good use by riding it through the sand dunes. Her ride across Africa saw some rough terrains that included forests, rivers, and deserts. This is not her first long ride on a motorcycle as she has previously ridden across the world on a 1994 BMW GS, crossing over Europe to Asia, South America to North America and then planned to travel from North Africa down the continent. Unfortunately, this ride was cut short by the Covid-19 pandemic when she reached Mali. She then had to fly back home after parking her bike in Dakar.
Commenting on her journey, Gottwald said: “My dream was to see the world with my own eyes. No matter how much I learn about places, seeing and experiencing them myself will always give me a better understanding. This I feel is particularly the case for Africa.”
Cake is a Swedish manufacturer of electric two-wheelers that showcased some of its products at the 2023 Auto Expo. Its Kalk series consists of motocross-style adventure bikes that feature a minimalistic design and a tall ground clearance of 300 mm. The series is powered by an electric motor that makes 14.75 bhp and 252 Nm of peak torque, giving it a top speed of 90 kmph and range of 86 km. The company seems quite keen on selling its products in India and is currently setting up an assembly and manufacturing plant, which will likely be located in Uttar Pradesh.
Latest News
Amaan Ahmed | May 18, 2026Suzuki Burgman 150 Revealed With 14-Inch Wheels, Dual-Channel ABSNamed 'Burgman 15' for overseas markets, Suzuki's new maxi-scooter inspired 150 cc offering also features a TFT display and traction control.2 mins read
car&bike Team | May 18, 2026Maruti Suzuki Commences Vehicle Production At Second Kharkoda PlantThe new production unit adds a further 2.5 lakh unit annual capacity to the Kharkoda facility.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | May 16, 2026BMW Vision Alpina GT Concept Revealed; Previews Alpina’s Upmarket PushBMW says that the Alpina brand will exist between itself and Rolls-Royce in the BMW Group with the first model – based on the 7 Series, due next year.1 min read
Jaiveer Mehra | May 16, 2026Volkswagen ID.Polo GTI Revealed; 223 bhp Hot Hatch First EV To Wear GTI BadgeThe ID.Polo GTI is offered with a 52 kWh battery, offering up to 424 km of range, and has a sub-7-second 0-100 kmph sprint time.1 min read
car&bike Team | May 15, 2026Norton Manx R's Made-in-India V4 Engine: All You Need To KnowThe 1,200cc, 72-degree V4 engine of the Norton Manx R is perhaps the most sophisticated and powerful motorcycle engine built in India.1 min read
car&bike Team | May 15, 2026Norton Atlas To Be Fully Built In India Before LaunchThe Norton Atlas and Atlas GT will be the mid-size adventure touring models, which will be the first Norton models to be completely manufactured in India.1 min read
Preetam Bora | May 11, 20262026 Suzuki Burgman Street 125 Review: What’s Good, What’s Not?The new Suzuki Burgman Street 125 gets refreshed design, minor but meaningful tweaks to the engine, a stiffened chassis, new features and more. But is it worth recommending? Read on, to find out.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | May 11, 2026Audi SQ8 Review: The Performance SUV That Actually Makes SenseThe Audi SQ8 has the performance of a V8 seamlessly combined with the everyday luxury and comfort, making it one of the most complete performance SUVs on sale in India today.5 mins read
Jafar Rizvi | May 3, 2026River Indie Gen 3 Long Term Report: 1 Month, 400 km AfterAfter a month and 400 km, the River Indie impresses with its utility-first approach, smooth ride and standout design, despite a few everyday usability compromises.8 mins read
Bilal Firfiray | May 2, 2026Volkswagen Taigun Facelift Review: Still The Driver’s SUV, But Improved!The updated Volkswagen Taigun gets a new 8-speed automatic, a refreshed design, and added features. But does it still deliver the best driving experience in the C-SUV segment?5 mins read
Shams Raza Naqvi | Apr 29, 2026Toyota Innova Hycross Vs Mahindra XEV 9S: Choosing The Right Three Row Family MoverIn a battle of three-row cars the electric Mahindra XEV 9S takes on the Toyota Innova Hycross. Which one ticks more boxes?1 min read