By Faith Kemunto, Winnie Wangwe, and Eric Magale
The link between road transport, public health, and climate change is undeniable. The transport sector is the main source of the Kenya’s CO₂ emissions related to energy. With more than one million motorbikes and 4 million cars, road transport is a major source of greenhouse gases and air pollution in cities. These emissions cause higher levels of NOx and particulate matter, leading to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, worsening the urban heat island effect, and intensifying climate-related risks. Battery swapping has recently emerged as an innovative way to accelerate the shift to cleaner mobility. Beyond motorbikes, electric vehicles (EVs) supported by climate-friendly charging stations offer a low-emission pathway to a cleaner, healthier future which contributes to Kenya’s NDC goals on mitigation.
Benefits of Electric Vehicles (EVs)
When recharged from clean or progressively renewable grids, EVs significantly cut greenhouse gas emissions. In Kenya, where more than 90% of electricity comes from renewable sources, switching to electric vehicles can reduce emissions by up to 70% over the life of the vehicle compared to gas-powered ones. This lowers CO₂ while eliminating tailpipe pollutants such as NOₓ and PM2.5, helping clean the air and soil and reducing pressure on ecosystems. Moreover, EVs, which produce zero tailpipe emissions, directly improve air quality in cities by lowering smog and reducing respiratory diseases. This is especially critical in congested towns like Nairobi and Mombasa, where air pollution contributes to high rates of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.
In Kenya, using electric vehicles (EVs) is up to 70% cheaper than running a gasoline or diesel vehicle, since electricity costs less than fossil fuels. Reduced dependence on imported oil also helps narrow Kenya’s trade deficit, saving the economy billions of shillings each year while lowering transport costs for households and businesses. Additionally, Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) include commitments to lower emissions and strengthen resilience. EV adoption supports these goals by reducing vulnerability to global fuel price shocks and supply disruptions. Integrating renewable energy solutions such as solar-powered charging stations further secures energy supply, enhances climate adaptation, and advances SDG 7 (clean energy) and SDG 13 (climate action).
Key Barriers to Adoption and Possible Solutions
BasiGo, founded in 2021 and based in Nairobi, Kenya, is a pioneer in the electric vehicle sector across Africa. By introducing e-buses, BasiGo offers advantages such as reduced operating costs and enhanced passenger experience, and local development through employment. However, the influential matatu association poses a considerable challenge to the scale-up of e-buses. A gradual transition for matatus, instead of an immediate overhaul, could be more acceptable, as it facilitates adaptation and mitigates potential disruptions to their established operations.
As we think of battery-swapping as a clean and sustainable path to mobility, it is important to acknowledge that battery end-of-life management is a significant concern. Since batteries have a finite shelf life, ensuring proper end-of-life management is critical. Electronic waste is the fastest-growing waste stream globally, with over 50,000 tonnes generated annually in Kenya, yet only about 10% is formally recycled, while much of it ends up in informal dumps.
To capitalize on the advantages of growing battery use, particularly for electric vehicles, Kenya must improve its infrastructure and procedures for efficiently recycling, recovering, or safely degrading batteries. For instance, The Sustainable Waste Management (Extended Producer Responsibility) Regulations, 2024, and the draft e-waste regulations, seek to regulate end-of-life products such as EV batteries by imposing management responsibilities on producers. These regulations pose necessary but significant compliance challenges for EV battery producers; finding ways to lower compliance of EV battery producers and consumers without compromising environmental sustainability is therefore critical.
Kenya can speed up the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and charging equipment by giving tax and financial incentives on battery imports as a short-term solution. Advances in environmentally conscious highway charging facilities powered by renewable energy will make it more reliable and boost consumer trust. Policies that encourage fleet electrification, like buses and boda-bodas, will help the market grow. While public-private partnerships can help charging networks grow. It’s also important to train people about the long-term savings of electric vehicles (EVs), which cost up to 70% fewer bucks to run than gas-powered cars. On the other hand, over-reliance on imported batteries poses a huge economic and strategic challenge. Importation directs investment and economic benefits to foreign countries, particularly in China’s leading battery supply chain. To this end, Kenya needs to set up programs that facilitate skills transfer and R&D to scale up localization in the medium to longer term. This will help in weaning the sector off imported batteries to build long-term sustainability. Localizing battery cell production provides an opportunity to capture various benefits locally, like promoting job creation throughout the value chain, from raw material extraction and processing to cell manufacturing, assembly, and recycling. Localization enhances economic resilience and supports the burgeoning electric vehicle (EV) industry by providing a consistent, cost-effective, and secure supply of crucial components.
Beyond localization, Kenya must also prioritize electrifying its transport system, particularly public transit, which serves most citizens. This ensures that the benefits of EV adoption extend beyond manufacturing to everyday mobility and public welfare. This transition is supported by entities like C40, Breathe Cities, and the CCAC. Furthermore, aligning EV policies with Kenya Vision 2030 and its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) will help integrate them into broader sustainability and economic goals, building a strong, low-carbon transportation system.
Kenya’s Path Forward
Momentum is already building for electric mobility in Kenya and across Africa. The government recently developed a draft National E-Mobility Strategy, signaling its intent to accelerate EV uptake through supportive policies, infrastructure development, and fiscal incentives. Elsewhere on the continent, Ethiopia has taken a decisive step by banning the importation of internal combustion engine vehicles, while Ghana has introduced import duty reliefs for EVs to lower costs and encourage adoption. These examples highlight that electric mobility is not just a Kenyan ambition but part of a broader continental and global shift toward sustainable transport. Together, they demonstrate that, despite current barriers, EV adoption is the future of mobility. However, realizing this future depends on expanding charging networks and ensuring reliable, affordable power.
For Kenya to switch to battery-powered vehicles and bikes, expanding charging facilities in public spaces such as office buildings, malls, and parking areas is critical. This also calls for Kenya’s energy generation and distribution companies, as well as private power producers, to work together to expand the power grid and ensure a steady electricity supply in the future. To achieve this, there needs to be a concerted effort to address the energy deficit and reduce electricity costs to sustain Kenya’s transition to electric mobility.
