Kenya Power, Kenya’s electricity transmitting and distributing company, plans to invest ksh 258 million over the next 3 years to accelerate adoption of electric mobility in Kenya. As of June 2023, there were 2,079 electric vehicles, including two-wheelers, according to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA). With rising demand for EVs, Kenya Power is taking the right steps to being one of the key stakeholders driving adoption of EVs.
The investment by Kenya Power will include the cost of setting up EV charging stations across the country. It will also include the purchase of electric vehicles and motorbikes for its operations. Back in 2022, the company announced plans to replace all petrol and diesel-powered vehicles and motorbikes on its fleet with electric powered ones.The company did not give a timeline when this was to happen. The company set aside Ksh 40 million for a pilot test that was to see it acquire two pick-ups and one four-wheel drive electric vehicle. Part of that kitty was to be used to construct 3 electric vehicle charging stations in Nairobi.
As part of its plan, Kenya Power has opened a new electric charging station at Stima Plaza in Nairobi. The company says the cost of setting up this station is Ksh 6.5 million. The station has two chargers, 50 kW DC (1 hour charging time) and a 22 kW AC (2 hour charging time) charger. The company has an existing charging station at Ruaraka Depot.
Kenya Power plans to install 9 additional charging stations at some of its offices by the end of July 2024. These will be in Donholm, Nakuru, Mombasa, Mtito Andei, Kisumu, Eldoret, Roysambu, Electricity House Nairobi and Ragati.
“The future of transport in electric and as a Company, we are very excited to be leading the conversations around E-mobility. Alongside our need to charge our electric vehicles, we intend to use our EV charging stations to collect data that will inform the next steps of our support to the growing E-mobility industry,” said Kenya Power’s Managing Director & CEO, Dr. (Eng.) Joseph Siror.
Purchase of Electric Vehicles
Besides the charging station at Stima Plaza, the company has also acquired 2 two JAC T8 electric vehicles (heavy duty models). The vehicles cost the company Ksh 18 million. It plans to add 9 more electric vehicles (heavy and light duty) and 25 electric motorcycles by the end of December 2024.
Kenya Power E-mobility tariff
Kenya Power is also implementing the E-mobility tariff that was approved by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority during the recent electricity tariff review as part of its initiatives to drive the uptake of electric vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles.
Through the E-mobility tariff, EV owners will get to enjoy much lower tariffs compared to general residential, commercial, and industrial tariffs.
