Kenya witnessed a significant rise in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads in 2025, with figures climbing to 35,000 units, according to data shared by Kenya Power and Lighting Company Plc (KPLC), the country’s primary electricity distributor. This marks a dramatic increase from the 5,294 electric vehicles recorded in 2024, a shift largely attributed to the accelerated adoption of electric motorcycles across both urban and peri-urban areas.
The growth in electric mobility, particularly among two-wheeled vehicles, is understood to reflect a broader continental trend, where localised innovation, affordability, and utility converge to meet transportation and climate needs. While global conversations on electric vehicles often centre on private cars, the Kenyan experience underscores the central role of motorcycles and public transport within African mobility ecosystems.
KPLC stated that electric vehicles consumed 8.43 million kilowatt hours of electricity in 2025, representing a 188 percent increase compared to the 2.92 million kilowatt hours used by e-mobility customers in 2024. This jump in electricity usage serves as a tangible indicator of the sector’s expansion and deepening integration within Kenya’s national grid infrastructure. The figures also suggest a maturing alignment between policy, infrastructure readiness, and consumer behaviour.
The managing director and CEO of KPLC, Joseph Siror, reiterated the utility’s commitment to advancing green energy and decarbonisation efforts, positioning e-mobility as a cornerstone of its broader environmental strategy. “E-mobility is one of our areas of focus under the green agenda, which seeks to power livelihoods and support our communities with solutions that reduce carbon emissions,” Siror noted.
The country’s shift towards electric mobility is underpinned by a blend of progressive regulatory incentives, reduced import taxes on EVs and components, and expanding investment in charging infrastructure. These government-led initiatives are fostering a more inclusive and locally rooted e-mobility ecosystem, making clean transport options increasingly accessible beyond affluent urban segments.
Beyond motorcycles, Kenya has also seen an uptake in electric buses for public transportation, suggesting a shift in the operational models of fleet operators and offering new models for intra-city commuting. This is particularly significant given the environmental burden of traditional combustion engine minibuses and buses that dominate public transport in East African cities.
The Kenyan experience reflects a growing continental momentum in electric mobility. While South Africa, Rwanda, and Nigeria have launched targeted EV strategies, Kenya’s emphasis on motorcycles and public buses marks a practical and contextually appropriate model, suggesting that African mobility transitions need not mimic Western car-centric approaches. Instead, they can be shaped by local utility, affordability, and socio-economic patterns.
As electric vehicle adoption continues to expand in Kenya and across the continent, there is an emerging need for nuanced dialogue that frames these shifts within African socio-political realities. Rather than being merely a technology trend, the rise of EVs in Kenya is tied to deeper questions of environmental justice, local economic opportunity, and community-centred infrastructure design.
Kenya Power continues to play a central role in integrating renewable energy into the national mix, aligning the transport transition with broader clean energy goals. The current trajectory suggests that Kenya may offer valuable lessons for peer nations navigating similar energy and mobility transitions under unique demographic and infrastructural conditions.
