The Kenyan government is introducing special green number plates for electric vehicles (EVs). This is part of efforts to promote the adoption of EVs in the country. The special number plates will be for all electric vehicles, including electric motorbikes.
EV adoption is championed by the government as it endeavours to reduce the country’s heavy reliance on fossil fuels and cut carbon emission.
“The shift to electric vehicles (EVs) significantly cuts emissions of greenhouse gases while reducing the petroleum import bill, currently standing at KES 628.4 billion.” stated Kipchumba Murkomen, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport.
According to the CS, the green number plates will help raise awareness about EVs among the general public. Long-term, this shift is meant to encourage more people to consider switching to e-mobility.
Notably, Country governments in Kenya get green number plates assigned to their official vehicles. Going forward, the county government vehicles will have to get a new colour for their number plates.
E-mobility Draft Policy Launched
Murkomen was speaking during the unveiling of the Draft National Electric Mobility Policy. Currently, the Draft National Electric Mobility Policy is open for public participation. The policy is meant to guide the development of electric mobility in all transportation modes – roads, rail, air and maritime.
Further, it will give an elaborate framework for Kenya’s transition from the internal combustion engines (ICE) now in use. The draft policy also suggests incentives for EV adoption and support for local manufacturing. Murkomen pointed out that the growth in the EV sector will lead to creation of more manufacturing jobs. The government has promised to bring on board stakeholders from the private sector, international investors, and academic institutions to develop the nascent sector.
Kenya’s government is itself planning to transition to EVs. This plan is primarily to ease the burden of fuel and ICE vehicles maintenance that is carried by taxpayers.
“We are taking to the Cabinet a proposal for a phased fleet replacement programme for all GoK vehicles from internal combustion engines to EVs. This will, in the long run, save taxpayers billions of shillings on fueling and other maintenance costs,” stated CS Murkomen.
Furthermore, his ministry is setting up charging infrastructure at the Ministry’s headquarters.
