Promoting electric mobility in Kenya

Context

More than 90 per cent of the electricity generated in Kenya already comes from renewable sources, which is ideal for making the switch to e-mobility and thus ensuring zero-emission transportation.

The country currently has over 3.6 million registered vehicles. Each year, more than 250,000 new registrations are made, 60 per cent of which are for motorbikes. Most new registrations involve used vehicles imported from abroad, which are often old and harmful to the environment. The economic and social costs of obsolete vehicles are high, as they consume a lot of fuel, need frequent repairs, increase the risk of accidents and pollute the air.

The Kenyan Government has made e-mobility one of its most important climate change mitigation measures, but few cars and motorbikes powered by electricity have yet to find their way onto the country’s roadways. The national target states, however, that the share of electric vehicle imports should be increased to five per cent by 2025. To achieve this, the country must establish rules and conditions that specifically promote electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.

Objective

As a result of improved e-mobility conditions, more electric cars and motorbikes are now being driven in Kenya's cities and rural areas.

Approach

The project operates in three priority areas:

1. It works to improve the regulatory framework in the country. To this end, it promotes the development of national strategies, regulations and standards for e-mobility.
2. To support training, knowledge exchanges and the coordination of stakeholders in the e-mobility sector, the project builds up the institutional capacity of key participants.
3. It also promotes pilot applications and disseminates learning experiences on the topic of e-mobility and the corresponding business models.

Last update: October 2023