Kenya to ditch diesel for electric buses by 2027, assures minister
In a bid to lower carbon emissions and improve energy security, Trade Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano now says the government is committed to revolutionising the transport sector by introducing electric vehicles.
By 2027, Miano says all buses countrywide will be fully electric, a move she emphasised will offer a sustainable alternative to fossil fuel-based vehicles which have been emitting harmful emissions thereby resulting in negative effects of climate change. Speaking at Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) in Thika, Kiambu yesterday during the roll out of the country’s first lot of electric buses assembled by BasiGo Company, the CS said the ministry has launched the Draft National Electric Mobility Policy that will mark the beginning of the journey. She said the policy proposes the establishment of incentives meant to increase the uptake of electric vehicles including the reduction of excise duty on electric powered vehicles to 10 per cent as in the Finance Act, 2023.
Other efforts, she said, are the revision of the Integrated National Transport Policy (2009) to accommodate electric vehicles and the requisite infrastructure as well as the development of an Automotive Policy to stimulate the assembly and manufacture of vehicles, with a specific focus on electric vehicles. “We have 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.”
BasiGo chief executive Jit Bhattacharya said they intend to deliver 1,000 locally assembled electric buses in the next three years and create 300 green manufacturing jobs.
Citi Hoppa CEO Judy Thuo welcomed the 2027 deadline of fully switching to electric buses, saying with the right policies, the timeframe is achievable.
