For four years, Kenyan electric vehicle (EV) founders have lived in a state of permanent “coming soon.” They’ve pitched to VCs based on “favorable government tailwinds” that felt more like a light breeze, lobbied through enough boardroom coffee to power a small fleet of e-motorcycles, and watched draft policies languish in ministerial inboxes while their Chinese and European competitors printed money.
Yesterday at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi, the breeze finally became a gale.
Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir officially launched the National E-Mobility Policy, a document that EV players are treating less like a regulatory framework and more like a collective “get out of jail free” card. With the sector’s growth hitting a massive 3,000% increase since 2022—rising from 796 registered EVs to 24,754 by the end of 2025—the government has finally decided to codify the chaos.
And they’re not messing around. Green number plates are rolling out immediately. Tax exemptions kick in July 2026. Local assembly gets priority. Charging infrastructure is going national.
For Kenya’s EV startups—companies like Roam, Ampersand, BasiGo, and Spiro—this isn’t just policy. It’s vindication.
The Numbers: Kenya’s Silent EV Revolution
While the world obsessed over Tesla’s Cybertruck drama and European EV sales plateauing, Kenya quietly became Africa’s electric mobility laboratory.
The Growth Story:
- 2022: 796 registered EVs
- 2023: 3,753 registered EVs (371% growth)
- 2025: 24,754 registered EVs (3,000%+ growth from 2022)
- 2030 projection: 42,000 to 70,000 units
Market Composition:
- Electric motorcycles: ~24,000 units (97% of total)
- Electric buses: 160 units (up from 3 in 2022)
- Electric cars: Growing but still nascent
The Context:
Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Uganda now account for 60% of all EV sales in sub-Saharan Africa. Within that group, Kenya is emerging as the infrastructure and policy leader.
According to Mohamed Daghar, Principal Secretary for Roads and Transport, Kenya’s EV sector saw “a massive surge in growth” that caught even the government by surprise. When you go from 796 vehicles to nearly 25,000 in three years, you’re no longer experimenting—you’re dealing with a structural shift that demands policy.
The National E-Mobility Policy is the government’s response to market reality catching up with aspirational targets faster than anyone expected.
What Actually Changed Yesterday (And Why It Matters)
The policy launch wasn’t just speeches and photo ops. It came with immediate, tangible changes:
1. Green Number Plates—Effective Immediately
Kenya’s 24,754 EV owners can now register for distinctive green license plates at KES 3,000 ($20). Both front and rear plates will be green, making EVs instantly identifiable on Kenyan roads.
Why this matters: It’s optics, yes. But it’s also infrastructure. Green plates create social proof, normalize EVs, and make them aspirational. When matatu drivers see green-plated motorcycles zipping past gas stations, the psychology shifts from “exotic experiment” to “smart economics.”
“The plates are good optics for our country,” Chirchir said, adding that they help Kenyans “appreciate the direction the country is taking.”
Translation: This is as much about culture change as regulation.
The green plate initiative was originally scheduled for 2024 under former Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen but faced delays. Chirchir’s team delivered it within weeks of the policy launch—a sign that execution speed has shifted.
2. Tax Exemptions Expanding (July 2026)
Kenya has had piecemeal EV incentives since 2023:
- Zero VAT on electric buses, bicycles, motorcycles, and lithium-ion batteries
- Reduced excise duty (10% instead of 20%) on EVs
- E-mobility electricity tariff of KES 17/kWh ($0.11/kWh)
The new policy codifies these and adds:
- VAT and excise duty exemptions on EV parts and components (effective July 2026)
- Reduced stamp duty on charging station installations (2027)
- Government procurement target: 3,000 EVs for ministries by end of 2027
This isn’t subsidy theater. It’s structural cost reduction that makes EVs 30-40% cheaper to operate than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.
3. Charging Infrastructure Goes National
One of the biggest constraints on EV adoption has been range anxiety. If you’re buying an electric motorcycle in Nairobi, you’re fine—300+ charging points exist. But if you want to ride to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru, or Eldoret? Good luck.
The policy mandates nationwide charging infrastructure deployment, with specific targets for coverage across all vehicle categories.
Chirchir emphasized: “Charging infrastructure must expand to Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret if this technology is to scale nationally.”
Translation: EVs are no longer Nairobi toys. They’re becoming national transportation.
4. Local Manufacturing and Assembly Priority
Here’s the part that makes this more than just an environmental play: the policy prioritizes local manufacturing and assembly of electric motors and vehicles.
Kenya wants to become the regional e-mobility hub—not just an importer of Chinese EVs, but a manufacturer and exporter.
Roam, Kenya’s flagship EV startup, already assembles motorcycles and buses locally at its Nairobi plant. BasiGo operates electric buses built for Kenyan conditions. The policy now gives them regulatory certainty and preferential treatment over imports.
This is industrial policy disguised as climate action.
5. Comprehensive Framework Across All Transport Modes
Unlike piecemeal policies focused on cars or motorcycles, Kenya’s e-mobility framework covers:
- Road transport (cars, motorcycles, buses, trucks)
- Rail (electric trains and light rail)
- Maritime (electric ferries and boats)
- Aviation (future-looking, but codified)
This integrated approach prevents policy fragmentation where different ministries create conflicting regulations for different vehicle types.
The Climate Narrative (And Why Kenya Actually Means It)
Every country launching EV policies claims it’s about climate. Most are lying. Kenya isn’t.
Here’s why:
Kenya’s Energy Grid Is Already 93% Renewable
Kenya’s electricity grid is 93% powered by renewable sources—hydro, geothermal, and wind. This is critical because EVs are only as clean as the grid powering them.
In South Africa, where 80% of electricity comes from coal, EVs reduce tailpipe emissions but are effectively “coal-powered cars.” In Kenya, EVs charged from the grid are genuinely zero-emission vehicles.
This gives Kenya a structural advantage: EVs offer both economic savings (lower fuel costs) and genuine environmental benefits.
Transport Consumes 72% of Kenya’s Petroleum Imports
Kenya spends more than $5 billion (KES 628 billion) annually on petroleum imports, with transport consuming approximately 72% of all petroleum products imported into the country.
President William Ruto, whose remarks were delivered by Chirchir, framed e-mobility as economic security:
“Climate change is about energy security and growing our economy by harnessing our own natural resources—wind, geothermal and solar—instead of exporting our hard-earned dollars to import fuel.”
Translation: Every electric motorcycle replacing a petrol bike is forex saved. At scale, e-mobility is balance-of-payments strategy.
Paris Agreement Commitments: 32% Emissions Reduction by 2030
Kenya committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 32% by 2030 under the Paris Agreement. Transport electrification is the single largest lever to hit that target.
Ali Daud Mohamed, Special Envoy for Climate Change, emphasized: “Our country does not have fossil fuels. Kenya’s EV push supports the global transition from fossil fuels.”
Unlike oil producers trying to delay the energy transition, Kenya has zero fossil fuel resources. Electrification isn’t sacrifice—it’s economic logic.
The Startup Ecosystem: Who’s Winning
Kenya’s EV policy doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s codifying the success of startups that built businesses before the policy arrived.
Roam: Kenya’s EV Flagship
- Products: Electric motorcycles (Roam Air, Roam Move) and electric buses
- Traction: Completed 1,600 km Nairobi-to-Addis Ababa ride in October 2025, proving long-range viability
- Funding: $24 million Series A (February 2024) to scale production
- Manufacturing: Local assembly plant in Nairobi
- Impact: Demonstrating that African-designed EVs can compete with Chinese imports
Roam’s October 2025 “Road to Addis” journey—1,600 km across Kenya and Ethiopia on electric motorcycles—was a marketing masterstroke that proved range anxiety is psychological, not technical.
BasiGo: Electric Buses for Public Transport
- Model: Pay-as-you-drive electric buses for matatu operators
- Traction: 160+ electric buses operating in Nairobi
- Funding: $42 million raised (2024)
- Impact: Reducing urban air pollution while cutting operator costs 30-40%
BasiGo’s buses are already visible across Nairobi, offering “reduced costs, quieter journeys, and measurable improvement in urban air quality,” according to Hezbon Mose, President of the Electric Mobility Association of Kenya (EMAK).
Ampersand: Battery Swap Infrastructure
- Model: Electric motorcycles with swappable batteries
- Traction: Operating in Rwanda, Kenya, and expanding regionally
- Impact: Solving charging anxiety by making “refueling” as fast as gasoline
Spiro: Pan-African EV Play
- Model: Electric motorcycles with battery-swap networks
- Funding: $100 million+ raised
- Footprint: Operating across West and East Africa (Benin, Togo, Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria)
- Impact: Largest EV fleet in Africa
M-KOPA: Financing the EV Transition
- Model: Pay-as-you-go financing for EVs, solar, and smartphones
- EV Play: Partnered with Bolt and others to finance electric motorcycles for riders
- Impact: Making EVs accessible to gig workers who can’t afford upfront capital
The common thread: These companies didn’t wait for policy. They built businesses, proved demand, and forced the government to catch up.
Now that policy has arrived, they’re positioned to scale exponentially.
The Risks: What Could Still Go Wrong
But let’s be realistic. Kenya’s e-mobility revolution faces significant headwinds:
1. The $693 Million Fuel Tax Problem
Kenya relies heavily on fuel taxes to fund road maintenance and transport services. The policy estimates that as EVs displace gas and diesel engines, there will be a $693 million shortfall in fuel tax collections by 2043, up from a $16.9 million gap in 2025.
Chirchir acknowledged the government is studying alternatives:
- Road-use charges
- Electricity-based levies on charging stations
- Possible weight-distance taxes for commercial vehicles
But here’s the problem: taxing EVs to compensate for lost fuel revenue undermines the economic advantage that’s driving adoption. If charging an EV becomes as expensive as filling a tank, why switch?
This is the classic energy transition dilemma: governments need revenue, but taxing the thing you’re trying to promote kills adoption.
2. Charging Infrastructure Buildout Is Expensive
Kenya currently has ~300 charging points nationwide, concentrated in Nairobi. Expanding to national coverage requires billions in infrastructure investment.
Who pays? The policy doesn’t specify. If it’s private sector-led, ROI timelines are long and uncertain. If it’s government-funded, Kenya’s fiscal constraints are severe.
3. Grid Capacity Constraints
Kenya’s grid is 93% renewable—but it’s also frequently unstable. Power outages are common, especially outside Nairobi. If EV adoption scales to tens of thousands of vehicles, can the grid handle peak charging demand?
Kenya Power reported that electricity use under the e-mobility tariff jumped from 1.26 GWh to over 5 GWh, marking a 300% rise.
That’s still small relative to total demand. But if 100,000+ EVs start charging simultaneously during evening peak hours, grid stress could trigger blackouts or force expensive capacity additions.
4. Affordability Gap for Private Consumers
The EV market is dominated by commercial users: boda boda riders, delivery fleets, matatu operators. These buyers justify EVs based on operational savings.
Private car buyers face a different calculus. EVs remain significantly more expensive upfront than ICE vehicles. Without direct subsidies or aggressive financing, mass-market private adoption won’t happen.
5. Chinese Import Dependency
Most EVs in Kenya are imported from China. Even “locally assembled” vehicles like Roam use Chinese components. If Kenya’s ambition is to become a manufacturing hub, it needs to build domestic supply chains for batteries, motors, and electronics.
That requires industrial policy far beyond tax incentives—it means supplier development, technical training, and long-term capital commitment.
The Geopolitical Angle: Kenya vs. Ethiopia vs. Nigeria
Kenya isn’t operating in a vacuum. It’s competing with other African countries to become the continent’s e-mobility hub.
Ethiopia: Banned internal combustion vehicle imports in 2024, forcing 100% EV adoption for new vehicles. Radical but risky—infrastructure lags demand.
Nigeria: Largest market, significant EV activity (Spiro, MAX), but policy fragmentation and grid instability limit scale.
Rwanda: Small market but excellent policy execution. Ampersand and Spiro operate successfully. EV-friendly regulations.
Uganda: Emerging market with Spiro and Tugende operating. Policy still underdeveloped.
Kenya’s advantage: It has the policy clarity Ethiopia lacks, the grid reliability Nigeria lacks, and the market size Rwanda lacks. If execution matches ambition, Kenya wins.
The Bottom Line: Four Years Late, But Worth the Wait
Kenya’s National E-Mobility Policy is four years overdue. EV startups built businesses in regulatory limbo, pitched investors on “eventual government support,” and prayed their bets wouldn’t blow up before policy arrived.
Yesterday, the bet paid off.
The policy isn’t perfect. The fuel tax problem is real. Grid capacity is uncertain. Charging infrastructure buildout will be slow. Affordability gaps remain.
But here’s what changed: Kenya went from “maybe someday” to “full speed ahead” in 72 hours.
Green plates are rolling out now. Tax exemptions kick in July. Local manufacturing gets priority. Charging infrastructure is going national. Government procurement targets are set.
For the first time, EV founders can pitch investors without caveating “pending government policy.” The policy is here. The market is proven. The infrastructure is building.
Kenya’s silent EV revolution just got very, very loud.
And for the 24,754 Kenyans already driving electric, the message is clear: You were right. The future is here. And it’s green.
