Kenya’s clean transport future isn’t just electric – it is Indigenous. As the race to decarbonise accelerates, the real spark may come not from imports, but from homegrown ingenuity born under the jua kali sun.
By Ethical Business | Source: Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI)
June 24, 2025
Kenya is racing toward a cleaner, more sustainable future – and electric vehicles (EVs) are at the heart of the journey. But as policies and investments push forward imported EVs and components, a new report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) sounds a powerful call: the future of green mobility in Kenya must be locally rooted.
According to the APRI report, despite impressive growth in Kenya’s e-mobility ecosystem – with EV sales soaring from just 65 in 2018 to over 4,000 in 2023 – the country risks missing out on a vital opportunity to deepen climate impact, create jobs, and build industrial resilience by failing to fully leverage Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS).
Kenya’s transport sector accounts for a staggering 67% of its energy-related carbon emissions (AFEMA, 2024). At the same time, it holds East Africa’s highest rate of motorisation and a strong national commitment to reduce net CO₂ emissions by 32% by 2030. These pressures have fueled support for EV adoption, underpinned by renewable energy ow covering 90% of Kenya’s power mix (EPRA, 2024) – and a thriving ecosystem of mobility start-ups, policy incentives, and pilot programs.
Yet, beneath the headline figures lies a story of underutilised local capacity.
“There is no shortage of innovation in Kenya,” says APRI.
“What’s missing is an enabling framework to connect local ingenuity – especially from Indigenous and informal sectors—to the heart of e-mobility policy and practice.”
Where policy meets innovation
Kenya has four major vehicle assemblers—AVA, KVM, Isuzu East Africa, and TML—operating far below capacity, with just 20% utilisation as of 2019 (KAM, 2020). Meanwhile, local innovators are crafting context-specific, cost-effective solutions from the ground up.
One standout case is Ecomobilus, a Kenyan start-up inspired by the traditional mkokoteni handcart. Their prototype EV, the eMkoko, was designed using local materials and second-life lithium cells, developed with support from Kenyatta University’s School of Engineering. The chassis and cargo tray were built locally, while only the powertrain and electronics were imported. The EV is now in use transporting farm produce—a demonstration of how informal innovation and formal R&D can work together.
Startups like Roam Electric, Linncell Technologies, and Arc Ride are similarly drawing on local needs and skills to create custom EV solutions. Linncell, for instance, has designed utility scooters for water and gas delivery and solar-powered EV chargers for off-grid areas – an essential solution in a country where nearly 25% of the population lacks access to electricity.
A missing link: Indigenous knowledge
The APRI report highlights that Indigenous knowledge – built through generations of ecological adaptation, mechanical innovation, and social problem-solving – is already fuelling Kenya’s green mobility shift. However, this wealth of knowledge is often sidelined by policy approaches that prioritise top-down, imported solutions.
From roadside mechanics retrofitting internal combustion motorcycles to electric versions, to artisanal engineers repurposing electronic waste into EV batteries, the informal sector is rich with innovation. Yet these contributions remain largely invisible to formal policy frameworks.
“The story of Kenya’s EV revolution is incomplete without the informal, the Indigenous, the grassroots,” the report argues. “These actors are not just users – they are builders.”
Kenya’s Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) system, designed to validate informal skills, is a step forward – but remains underdeveloped. Charging infrastructure, while expanding, lacks standardisation, interoperability, and rural reach. And while the government offers incentives for assembling EVs locally, startups using IKS struggle with high costs, limited access to finance, and a lack of tailored technical training.
Practical Solutions: What APRI recommends
The report offers concrete policy recommendations to amplify the impact of Indigenous innovation on Kenya’s green mobility future:
- Tax reforms: Zero-rate EV components and unassembled kits; waive VAT on second-life batteries and e-waste recycling inputs.
- Industrial incentives: Provide access to Special Economic Zones (SEZs), industrial parks, and favourable electricity tariffs for grassroots innovators.
- Inclusive financing: Design low-interest loan schemes targeting youth, women, and people with disabilities working in the EV space.
- R&D investment: Fund local universities and technical colleges to co-develop e-mobility solutions with artisans and start-ups.
- Charging access: Support solar-powered micro-charging stations in rural and off-grid areas; establish interoperable charging standards.
- Expanded EV definitions: Include agricultural EVs, construction equipment, and assistive mobility devices in national EV frameworks.
The report also highlights the untapped potential of Kenya’s jua kali sector—informal artisans who have long produced machinery, tools, and appliances using local materials. Properly supported, these creators could become key players in EV part manufacturing, vehicle retrofitting, and even charger design and fabrication.
A shift in perspective
What APRI calls for is not just a shift in policy – but a shift in mindset. Kenya’s green transition should not be an imported project. It must be locally authored, inclusive, and rooted in the strengths of its people.
“If we want a sustainable transport future, we need to reimagine what innovation looks like,” says the report. “Sometimes, it looks like a mkokoteni with a lithium battery. And that’s the point.”
With an eye on both climate and economic equity, Kenya has a real chance to turn its EV transition into a model for just, localised, and sustainable development. But doing so will require deliberate efforts to link policy with practice, and top-down ambition with bottom-up ingenuity.
As Kenya races toward its 2030 goals, the most powerful engine may not be imported from abroad. It may already be here—built under the sun, in the shade of ingenuity, and in the hands of its people.
Source:
This story is based on findings from a comprehensive study by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) – an independent, nonpartisan African think tank with offices in Berlin and Abuja. APRI conducts evidence-based research to inform policy in Africa and Europe, bridging knowledge systems to co-create solutions for sustainable development.
For more, visit: www.afripoli.org
