The Kenyan government has pledged support to accelerate the production and adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) as demand surges across the country. Speaking at the launch of a newly assembled electric bus by KingLong at the Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers plant in Thika, Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Investments, Lee Kinyanjui, announced that the Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) is prepared to fund pioneering e-mobility projects.
Kinyanjui highlighted that petroleum imports account for the country’s largest import bill, consuming vast foreign exchange reserves. “A shift to electric vehicles could cut this expenditure by up to 30 percent, freeing forex for other development priorities,” he said.
The CS urged entrepreneurs to invest in electric charging infrastructure rather than traditional petrol stations, noting one investor is ready to establish charging points from Mombasa to Malava.
BasiGo CEO Jit Bhattacharya welcomed the government’s backing, revealing that KingLong’s assembly line will produce up to 20 electric buses per month to meet current demand, which already exceeds 600 orders from public transport operators. King Long Automotive’s General Manager Jin Shoulin underscored the company’s reliability, citing the recent delivery of 257 electric buses to Morocco.
Citihoppa Managing Director Judy Thuo urged the government to lower electricity costs to help matatu operators investing in e-mobility secure reasonable returns and profitability.
 as demand surges across the country. Speaking at the launch of a newly assembled electric bus by KingLong at the Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers plant in Thika, Cabinet Secretary for Trade and Investments, Lee Kinyanjui, announced that the Kenya Development Corporation (KDC) is prepared to fund pioneering e-mobility projects.){kind=link}