Kenya is still lagging behind in the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), even as the world continues to move away from traditional fuel cars.
This, however, is not to say that there have not been strides made in the electrification of automobiles. In fact, a quick spot check shows that a considerable number of tuk-tuks, buses, and motorcycles have gone electric in Kenya.
According to Tom Courtright, a research director at Africa E-Mobility Alliance, these aforementioned units have found a favourable market in Kenya, with bodaboda riders and small businesses adopting them as cost-effective capital to further their enterprises.
The same cannot be said about EVs, with fewer than 5,000 electric four-wheelers in East Africa (Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania) - a stark contrast to the rest of Africa and the world at large.
Electric cars' adaptation in East Africa and Kenya in particular, faces several roadblocks, with one of the biggest hurdles being financing. EVs are generally more expensive upfront than traditional vehicles that run on fuel.
Depending on the car brand and model, the difference between a car running on an internal combustion engine and an electric vehicle could be as much as Ksh1 million - a reality that is extremely discouraging for consumers.
The ripple effect of this is that the high cost of EVs considerably reduces their market demand, and in turn, car importers are discouraged from importing them to Kenya despite their availability. The few units that end up making their way to the country go for extremely hefty prices, and the vicious cycle goes on.
The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), in its quarterly Leading Economic Indicators report released on Tuesday, February 18, brought this dynamic into perspective as the report suggested that the number of newly registered vehicles increased to 15,587 in December last year, compared to 12,075 in November.
Station wagons recorded the highest number of registrations at 7,447, followed by saloon cars at 614. Nearly all these vehicles run on fuel, a statistic that underlines the stigma EVs face in the country.
The infrastructure to accommodate EVs is also a huge challenge since electric vehicles need charging stations to be widespread at different places. While there are a fair number of charging stations in urban centres like Nairobi, long-distance travel is still difficult due to the limited access to such stations.
A social challenge in the adoption of EVs in Kenya and East Africa at large is the cultural dynamic. Despite living in 2025, cars are generally seen as a luxury in the country, unlike motorcycles and tuk-tuks, which are traditionally seen as tools for everyday business and movement.
Courtright believes these challenges are a danger to modernising the transport sector in Kenya, which he claims will be the last to adopt four-wheeler EVs unless there is some sort of intervention, which can come in the form of government policies.
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