With the world shifting towards electric mobility and electric vehicle (EVs) uptake, Kenya is no exception. There are currently over 390 owned EVs registered in the country. However, many Kenyans still have concerns about the charging cost of an EV, choice, and availability of an EV, and cost of EV as it can be overwhelming and thrilling to anyone in the market for an EV. This is why you should think about whether an EV is right for you.
Which e-car should you buy?
Electric Vehicles are fun to drive, fast, require little maintenance and produce no exhaust gases, which is a major boost to climate change. If you’re sure you to buy an e-car, there are many choices to choose from and the one-million-dollar question that still remains is “which e-car should I buy?” It is important to understand what you are looking for in an e-car. “Is it for basic transportation because it’s cheaper than a gas pump? Or “Is it because it’s what is new and on the rave?
Be honest about what you want.
Kenya has various EV brands available for sale such as Hyundai KONA, Nissan Leaf, Toyota Prius Hybrid, Honda Insight Hybrid, Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, Lexus CT hybrid, Toyota Sai, etc. with a starting price of 800,000.
Being honest is the key when purchasing an e-car. Some electric vehicles, like Nissan Leaf
What are you’re charging options?
Kenya’s charging infrastructure development is in progress with KPLC and KENGEN setting out plans to install public charging stations along the highways, homes, and businesses.
But fret not. Currently, all publicly available EV charging stations are owned by private e-mobility start-up firms such as Nopea.com, ChargeNet, Drivelectric, and EV Chaja just to name a few. These start-ups have installed EV chargers at major malls and shopping centers in Nairobi and some like Roam and Kiri EVs have battery-swapping stations for those using e-bikes and e-motorcycles. These hubs are at the Two Rivers Malls in Ruaka, The Hub Mall in Karen, Thika Road Mall, and Sarit center to name some while the swapping stations can be accessed on the firms’ apps.
As an EV owner, you have the additional option of having a charging system installed at your premises where you can recharge at your own leisure and pleasure.
The above list is not exhaustive and more will be updated as more public charging stations get set up in the country.
How do you charge?
All EVs come equipped with chargers.
How much will you pay to charge your EV and how long does it take to recharge?
A full EV recharge mostly depends on the type of e-car you own, for instance, according to a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV owner, it takes around 3 hours and it consumes 5 kWh of electricity. This means the owner spends about 105Kshs for the full charge going with the current 1kWh= 21.87 Kshs, as compared to the counterpart gas pump ICE vehicles.
Going electric in Kenya is affordable to anyone willing. It is a different experience but the best alternative to the ongoing energy crisis in the world. What do you think?
