Kenya is demonstrating commitment to the green agenda implementing strategies that has spiked an increase in the use of electric vehicles EVs.
Latest data from the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) show a significant increase in the number of electric vehicles imported.
The National Transport and Safety Authority NTSA that records new cars in the Kenyan market registered over 2500 electric vehicles in the last quarter of 2023, a sharp increase from just over 400 the previous year.
WEetracker in its newsletter attributes the trend to increasing awareness of environmental issues and a growing infrastructure that supports electric mobility.
Kenyas transport sector is identified as a leading contributor of green house gas emissions. The government has an e mobility policy that targets 32 per cent reduction in carbon emission by 2030. It is planning to have 5 percent of all new vehicles use electric power. This is in line with the climate change action plan, long term low emission development strategy 2022-2050 and Nationally Determined Contributions NDCs.
However the contrast is taking place miles away in Europe where reports point to a revolt in the use of electric cars. The European Automobile Manufacturers Association report of March paint a picture of parts of Europe reneging on net zero commitments by ditching electric cars. Registration of new electric vehicles dropped by 11.3 per cent. The German market had a significant dip in sales of 28.9 per cent according to that report.
In other markets like Norway however, the EV sales are at 90 per cent owing to government incentives. These include reduced VAT for those with EVS, access to free parking in some regions and lower road tolls. The Norwegian government has also implemented a policy to have all cars purchased in public procurement be zero emitters.
The cost of EVs and the charging processes are linked to the dipping enthusiasm for EVs in the European market according to a comment by Ross Clark published by a UK publication the Telegraph, recently.