Kenya Introduces Green Number Plates for Electric Vehicles
Electric vehicle owners in Kenya now have a chance to be recognized on the Kenyan roads. The government has aanounced a plan to introduce green number plates for all electric vehicles - a move that marks a fresh chapter in it's efforts to get people adopting cleaner fuel.
The announcement came from Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir at the launch of the National Electric Mobility Policy in Nairobi. Chirchir was representing President William Ruto who was unable to attend the event.
The new rule means that the standard reflective plates currently used by over 24,000 EV owners in the country are going to be replaced by green ones.
"These electric vehicle number plates will now be green" Chirchir said " it's a clear sign to show that those of us supporting the reduction of carbon emissions are doing their part"
The Cost and Roll Out
Replacing the plates will set you back Sh3,000 according to the Transport Ministry - though owners don't need to rush to swap them out right away. What they are being encouraged to do is get the new plates over time as part of the push towards a more electric transport system.
When asked about any specific incentives with the green plates, Chirchir dampened expectations saying that the main reason was for public relations . "The plates are good for our image as a country" he said
This was a plan that had originally set to roll out in 2024 under the former Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen but was scraped. Conventional cars will stick with their current plates.
A Bigger EV Strategy
Introducing the green plates is all part of Kenya's big push to get more electric vehicles on the road. The National Electric Mobility Policy has a target of electric vehicles making up 5% of all new vehicle sales by 2025. With a long term goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
Kenya is in a pretty good spot to help get more of these vehicles on the road. Right now , about 90 % of the country's electricity is generated from renewable sources such as geothermal, wind power and hydropower - which means that when you charge your EV it's going to be much cleaner than if you were using petrol.
To make things even easier on EV owners, the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has set a lower rate for overnight EV charging - this is called the e-mobility tariff.
What Else to Expect
The government has other plans in place , such as reduced import duties on electric vehicles, and tax relief on batteries and charging gear for EV owners. It plans on expanding the public charging network too - with new stations setup in in big cities like Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu.
New building regulations are going to require businesses to reserve parking spots for EV charging too.
Additionally, the government is going to start buying more EVs for the public fleet - aiming to add about 1,000 of them to the fleet every year. Transport accounts for a massive quarter of all worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, and Kenya is hoping to cut its emissions by 32% by 2030.
