Kenya will move fully to electric buses by 2027 according to Trade and Investments CS Rebecca Miano.
Speaking in Thika on Tuesday, Miano said the ministry has launched the Draft National Electric Mobility Policy, that will mark the beginning of the journey.
Miano said the move is in line with the government’s agenda of transforming the transport sector, through the reduction of carbon emissions and address the negative effects of climate change.
Miano was speaking during the roll-out of the country’s first lot of electric buses.
The buses are assembled in the country by BasiGo Company in partnership with the Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM).
According to Miano, the policy proposes the establishment of incentives meant to increase the uptake of electric vehicles.
This includes the reduction of excise duty on electric powered vehicles to 10 per cent as per the Finance Act, 2023.
”The government recognises the critical role that investment such as BasiGo plays in driving economic growth, creating employment opportunities and improving the livelihoods of our citizens," Miano said.
"We have, therefore, prioritised the creation of a conducive business and investment environment, with robust policies besides streamlining regulations and setting-up strategic incentives aimed at attracting and retaining investors,” she noted.
Another effort, Miano said, is the revision of the Integrated National Transport Policy (2009), to accommodate electric vehicles and the requisite infrastructure.
The development of an Automotive Policy to stimulate the assembly and manufacture of vehicles with a specific focus on electric vehicles is another initiative.
Miano said the partnership between BasiGo and KVM is Kenya’s first dedicated, high-volume assembly line for modern electric buses.
“By March this year, BasiGo’s electric buses had driven over 1.5 million kilometres in Kenya, carried over 2.1 million passengers and side-stepped over 680 tons of greenhouse gas emissions,” the CS said.
BasiGo CEO Jit Bhattacharya said the company intends to deliver 1,000 locally assembled electric buses in the next three years and create 300 green manufacturing jobs in Kenya.
“We shall be assembling 20 buses every month and the orders are many. We intend to work round the clock to increase the number, because the demand may rise with time,” Bhattacharya said.
Among the electric buses that were flagged-off on Monday include are Citi Hoppa and Super Metro bus companies.
The Citi Hoppa CEO, Judy Thuo welcomed the new buses saying the fleet will improve the image of the Company and address customer demands of moving towards new technologies.
She welcomed the 2027 deadline of fully moving towards the use of electric buses, saying with the right policies the timeframe is achievable.
“With the increased competition in the matatu industry, there is a need to rebrand and move with technology as demanded by the customers," Thuo said.
We have ordered several electric buses and they will help us move the journey of customer satisfaction,” she noted.