Chirchir: Kenya ready to shift to electric mobility, cut fossil fuel use

Kenya is on the path to adopting electric mobility as part of its broader strategy to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and embrace renewable energy.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir on Thursday stressed that policies have already been put in place to drive this transition and contribute to global efforts to combat climate change.

“Electric mobility will be the way to go; it is a reality,” he said, highlighting the country's readiness for the shift.

To support the transition, the government has introduced a favourable charging tariff for electric vehicles.

CS Chirchir revealed that the new tariff offers half-rate charges, with vehicle owners paying Sh8 per kilowatt-hour at night and Sh16 during the day, making it significantly cheaper than conventional fuel costs.

The Cabinet secretary noted that Kenya’s abundant and affordable renewable energy will play a crucial role in powering the shift to electric mobility.

“Kenya today has an energy mix of 92 per cent renewable, generated from geothermal, wind, solar, and hydropower. A lot of this energy is fed into the Kenya Power grid at less than 10 US cents per kilowatt-hour, with geothermal, which makes up 49 per cent of our energy mix, coming to the grid at seven US cents,” he explained.

Diesel more costly

Chirchir contrasted the cost-effectiveness of renewable energy with diesel, which powers the majority of the country’s motor vehicles and railway systems.

He pointed out that diesel generates energy at about 20 US cents per kilowatt-hour, making it three times more expensive than renewable energy sources.

“Diesel is not only expensive but also harmful to the environment. We need to go electric, not just on the railway system but also for vehicle mobility. We are very advanced in developing policies and regulations for e-mobility,” he noted.

Chirchir noted the shift to electric mobility will not only lower the cost of doing business but will also benefit the environment.

He highlighted plans to integrate e-mobility into mass transportation systems, particularly through Kenya Railways, which will help cut transportation costs for people and goods.

The CS also expressed concern about the high cost of importing fossil fuels.

Kenya currently spends $500 million (Sh64.5 billion) a month on petroleum imports, an expense that he said is unsustainable for the economy.

“To run an economy with foreign exchange to import fossil fuels, which harm the environment, at a cost of about $7.2 billion (Sh929.4 billion) annually is not sustainable. We need to keep the US dollars we earn from exports for things we cannot produce locally,” Chirchir said.

The government's push for electric mobility, combined with policies supporting renewable energy, marks a significant step in reducing the country’s reliance on fossil fuels and aligning with global climate action efforts.