Kenya has introduced a draft of its National E-mobility Policy aiming to promote domestic production and assembly of electric vehicles (EVs). Once ratified, this policy will establish emission-free vehicle sales quotas, and lay down investment guidelines for native car manufacturers and assemblers, making them eligible to gain government incentives.
Besides these provisions, the e-mobility policy is also designed to develop and reevaluate a legal and regulatory structure to facilitate the adoption of EVs. The policy will stipulate the use of domestically sourced raw materials for EV production, which will be progressively implemented as a part of measures to boost local manufacturing and assembly of EVs.
The final version of the policy will support domestic initiatives related to the manufacturing and recycling of batteries, as well as the production of essential EV components like charging systems. This introduction occurs at a time when Kenya is struggling to acquire the necessary technical expertise and infrastructure to independently manufacture EVs.
To address this skills shortage, one of the main objectives of the policy is to create an e-mobility curriculum to be incorporated into relevant tertiary education programs. Through the integration of this curriculum, the policy aims at boosting technical skills necessary for the development of the e-mobility industry within the country.
Additionally, the government plans to place high importance on research and development initiatives concerning electric vehicles, battery technology, and charging infrastructures. Manufacturers will also be required to provide user training and manuals with their products. This comprehensive approach aims not just to establish the infrastructure for electric vehicle technology, but also to ensure consumers are adequately educated on the use and maintenance of these advanced vehicles and their components.
Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Roads and Transport, Kipchumba Murkomen, announced the release of the e-mobility policy draft on March 27, 2024. He stated that alongside creating job opportunities, the transition to electric vehicles would significantly decrease greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the nation’s petrol import bill, which he noted is at KSh 628.4 billion ($4.8 billion) currently.
The Kenyan government has initiated a campaign to issue green number plates as a strategy to promote and speed up the adoption of electric vehicles. Murkomen emphasized that the objective of this move is to “raise public awareness about EVs, resulting in more people considering the shift to e-mobility.”
The Ministry of Roads and Transport, in partnership with the Ministry of Trade and Investment, launched the policy, banking on the expected input from the private sector, international investors, and academic institutions. These collaborations are aimed at leveraging different areas of expertise to aid in the establishment of a feasible and sustainable electric vehicle infrastructure.
Kenya has become a hub for significant players in the African e-mobility industry. These include electric vehicle manufacturers such as BasiGo, a company backed by the CFAO Group that provides electric buses for commuting citizens in Nairobi, popularly branded as matatu. Another noteworthy enterprise is Roam, a company that is not only spearheading the introduction of electric buses for Nairobi’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system but also offering electric motorcycles across the country. These companies are at the forefront of Kenya’s growing electric vehicle market, supporting the country’s efforts to transition to cleaner and more sustainable modes of transport.
