Kenya’s leading electric energy producer KenGen on November 24, 2022, unveiled its first four Electric Vehicles (EVs) in Nairobi.
This is in a move that the company says seeks to support its diversification ambitions in the e-mobility sector.
The unveiling of the Electic Vehicles is also in line with the company’s elaborate plan to lead Kenya’s transition from gasoline-powered vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EV) as another way of combating climate change while solving transportation challenges in the country.
According to KenGen, the four vehicles, which include two SUVs and two double-cabin pickups will primarily be used for data collection as well as policy development.
Further, the company prepares to install over 30 EV charging stations across the country in 2023.
“I am glad to announce that in the next year, we plan to roll out about 30 EV charging stations in major cities across the country. The four acquired EVs we are launching today will give the company first-hand experience and data on electric vehicles,” acting KenGen Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abraham Serem said.
The KenGen Electric Vehicles (EVs) venture is part of the company’s environmental and economic sustainability plan to reduce global Green House Gas (GHG) emissions by inspiring confidence for wider EV adoption across the country.
“KenGen Kenya will use the cost and environmental data from the four EVs to transition its fleet to EVs, further demonstrating KenGen’s role in elevating its position on attracting investment funds financing green initiatives,” the company said in a statement.
What is an Electric Vehicle?
An electric vehicle (EV) is a vehicle that uses one or more electric motors for propulsion. It can be powered by a collector system, with electricity from extravehicular sources, or it can be powered autonomously by a battery (sometimes charged by solar panels, or by converting fuel to electricity using fuel cells or a generator).
So far, there are more than 1,000 electric vehicles on Kenya’s roads.
In Africa, South Africa and Morocco are the leading countries in the use of electric vehicles.
South Africa’s Automotive Business Council – Naamsa – shows the country’s clean energy vehicle figures rose to 2,139 by August 2022.
Morocco sold 83,831 electric cars in the first half of 2022 but the bulk of those was for export, with electric vehicles on its roads accounting numbering 3,353, according to that country’s media.
