• Kenya is keen to adopt electric vehicles as part of her wider plan to address the emissions of greenhouse gases.
• The state wants to implement bus rapid transit along some of the routes, especially in Nairobi.
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Kenya is among countries whose uptake of electric vehicles is rising, a new report has shown.
The global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2024 says Kenya is among the countries whose uptake of electric vehicles has improved.
“There is encouraging progress in emerging markets and developing economies, where a focus on the co benefits of electric buses such as reduced air pollution and greater access to public transport, has boosted uptake,” the report says.
This has been further supported by the wide availability of electric buses in already competitive markets.
“Cities across Latin America, such as Bogota and Santiago, have deployed nearly 6,500 electric buses to date. BasiGo, Africa’s largest electric bus company, has an order book of 350 buses, which represents almost two per cent of electric bus sales outside China last year and aims to sell a further 1,000 electric buses in Kenya and 200 in Rwanda in the coming years,” it says.
Kenya is keen to adopt electric vehicles as part of her wider plan to address greenhouse emissions.
The state wants to implement bus rapid transit along some of the routes, especially in Nairobi.
Even though the project has been delayed due to a lack of resources, all the buses that will be used as pilots will be electric.
Kenya, in her updated Nationally Determined Contribution, has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 32 per cent by 2030.
The Transport Sector Climate Change Annual Report, 2018–2019, showed that transport sector accounted for about 12 per cent of Kenya’s total greenhouse gas emissions, which amounts to 11.25 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent as of 2015.
Transport ministry says the sector is heavily responsible for emissions of harmful pollutants that contribute to public health issues in cities.
This includes 61 per cent of nitrogen oxide pollution and 39 per cent of harmful fine particulates.
In addition, transport is responsible for 20 per cent of CO2 emissions in Kenya.
The Global EV Outlook is an annual publication that identifies and assesses recent developments in electric mobility across the globe.
It was developed with the support of members of the Electric Vehicles Initiative.
Combining analysis of historical data with projections – now extended to 2035, the report examines key areas of interest such as the deployment of electric vehicles and charging infrastructure, battery demand, investment trends and related policy developments in major and emerging markets.
It also considers what wider EV adoption means for electricity, oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
The report includes an analysis of lessons learned from leading markets, providing information for policymakers and stakeholders on policy frameworks and market systems that support electric vehicle uptake.
The report says in this year's first quarter, electric car sales grew by around 25 per cent compared with the first quarter of last year.
The market share of electric cars could reach up to 45 per cent in China, 25 per cent in Europe and over 11 per cent in the US this year.
This is underpinned by competition among manufacturers, falling battery and car prices and ongoing policy support.
The report shows that electric car sales keep rising and could reach around 17 million this year, accounting for more than one in five cars sold worldwide.
It shows that more than one in five cars sold worldwide this year is expected to be electric, with surging demand projected over the next decade set to remake the global auto industry and significantly reduce oil consumption for road transport.
Electric car sales in China are projected to leap to about 10 million in China, accounting for about 45 per cent of all car sales in the country.
In the United States, roughly one in nine cars sold is projected to be electric, while in Europe, despite a generally weak outlook for passenger car sales and the phase-out of subsidies in some countries, electric cars are still set to represent about one in four cars sold.
Last year, global electric car sales soared by 35 per cent to almost 14 million.