Kenya has set an ambitious target of reducing carbon emissions by 32 per cent come 2030. Increasing the number of vehicles powered by clean energy would therefore be a fitting aspiration for a country that is pursuing a low-carbon path to development.
The transport sector has been cited as a major carbon emitter due to its reliance on fossil fuels. Globally, it is estimated that the sector contributes about 25 per cent of all energy-related carbon emissions. This number is set to increase to one-third by 2050. The carbon emissions resulting from the combustion of fossil fuels pose a threat to our environment and health.
With increased calls for reduced pollution, various countries around the world have compelled car manufacturers to minimize their carbon footprints. The UK is leading the pack with plans to ban sale of fossil fuel cars from 2030. China, India, Germany, and Japan have also joined the League of Nations seeking to ban fossil fuel cars in favour of electric vehicles.
Kenya is better positioned to adopt electric vehicles owing to availability of the much needed clean energy. Currently, more than 80 per cent of Kenya’s electricity is generated from renewable sources. The government has the ambitious target of moving this proportion to 100 percent before 2030.
Already, some of the global electric vehicles’ start-ups have set shop in Kenya are raring to go. BasiGo, Kiri and Opibus are some of the start-ups seeking a pie of the Kenyan market. These companies are seeking to introduce a wide range of products ranging from electric two and three-wheelers to electric light-duty vehicles and electric buses. The demand for electric vehicles, however, remains low due to insufficient incentives to facilitate the transition to a clean road transport system.
In March 2021, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) partnered with the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the Ministry of Energy and the Ministry of Transport to launch the Electric Motorcycles Programme in Kenya. The six-month pilot phase, which has since elapsed, sought to evaluate various aspects of electric motorbike operation to help policymakers develop the right policy framework to achieve a sustainable shift to low or no emissions electric mobility in Kenya, starting with two and three wheelers.
The study found that several factors are inhibiting the adoption of EVs, key among them, lack of charging infrastructure in strategic and convenient locations. Potential customers dread a situation where they would be stranded and forced to abandon their vehicles due to lack of charging ports. Kenya’s utility firms Kengen and Kenya Power have announced plans to set up charging stations to diversify revenue streams. Nonetheless, more public and private partnerships are needed to ensure development of a charging network that is as easily accessible as the fuel stations.
The upfront and maintenance costs of electric vehicles have also been prohibitive factors. To encourage e-mobility, tax incentives such as tax exemption or zero-rating of electric vehicles and spare-parts should be applied.
Lack of consumer awareness about the economical, health and environmental benefits of EVs or how to operate EVs have also limited adoption. Consumer education campaigns are needed to persuade consumers to shift from the traditional fossil fueled vehicles to EVs.
To overcome these challenges, Kenya needs to commit itself to adoption of electric vehicles. Secondly, walk the talk by introducing regulations, standards, subsidies and tax incentives that will create an enabling environment for adopting e-mobility.
The electric mobility agenda is cross-cutting and will require collaboration amongst various stakeholders including County Governments, NGOs, the National Treasury, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS).
As the energy regulator, EPRA is currently engaging stakeholders with the view of gaining insight that will inform the formulation of a licensing framework for the retail electric charging service providers, tariff rate controls for electric charging, and standardization of electric charging points to ensure consumer mobility from one service provider to another.
A transition to electric powered vehicles will undoubtedly help tackle the carbon emission menace. However, production and uptake of electric vehicles will only improve through development of policies and cooperation between concerned agencies.