Energy Cabinet Secretary, Davis Chirchir, was on Friday June 6, captivated by an electric car that reportedly incurred a charging cost of only Ksh1,000 to cover a distance of 500 kilometers.
During a conference focused on reducing electricity costs, CS Chirchir confidently advocated for electric cars as the future of transportation, emphasising their cost-effectiveness and their potential to revolutionize the industry.
"Electric cars take Ksh1,000 to cover 500 kilometres. This is the new frontier; green energy. We need to look at e-mobility," a statement shared by the Kenyan Senate read in part.
Expert Explanation
An engineer working with an electric bus company in Nairobi, in an interview with Kenyans.co.ke on Friday, June 30, corroborated the CS's remarks, further underlining the viability and affordability of electric transportation as an alternative in urban mobility.
The engineer explained that for a car to cover 500 kilometres while spending Ksh1,000, the model, battery size and driving style matter.
Some small car models have a 50-kilowatt battery covering close to 475 kilometres.
The engineer explained that most electric car charging stations charge Ksh20 per kilowatt at night and Ksh30 per kilowatt during peak hours.
So for a small car with a 50-kilowatt battery covering 485 kilometres, the owner will only require Ksh1,000. (That is, Ksh20 for charging at night multiplied by 50, which is the car's battery capacity).
He, however, maintained that the distance covered depends on the size of the car battery and driving style. To drive his point home, the engineer compared them to fuel-powered cars, insisting that expenditures vary based on the vehicle model and tank capacity.
"What the CS said is absolutely right. But it depends on the car model. Some small cars have a battery covering close to 485 kilometres when fully charged.
"For example, a Hyundai has a 50-kilowatt battery. If you are charging on a nighttime tariff where the price is Ksh20, then the cost would be Ksh1,000.
"If one is charging during the daytime, where one is charged at Ksh30, then that is Ksh1,500 for a 50-kilowatt battery. But in that case, someone is just paying for the electricity charge alone," the engineer told Kenyans.co.ke.
He further supported the need to adopt green energy, arguing that it will help reduce the burden of running fuel-powered automobiles.
"The problem with electric vehicles right now is that they are very expensive but very affordable to maintain," he stated.
On Thursday, June 1, President William Ruto announced plans to launch an electric vehicle public transport system. In the new model, Ruto affirmed the belief that adopting electric buses will address the high fuel cost globally.
"As international petroleum prices continue to rise beyond reach, the cost of fuel locally rises steeply. As a component of household budgets, transport is affecting the cost of living," Ruto stated.
"We have to liberate Kenyans from reliance on transport that depends on petroleum. For this reason, we are rolling out an electric vehicle public transport system which will bring down the cost of transport significantly," he added.
