Chinese EV firm Moja pushes for green transition in Kenya's coastal taxi industry

NAIROBI -- Moja EV Kenya, a Chinese firm, has ramped up marketing of its flagship Neta electric cars, targeting taxi drivers in the country's coastal region in a bid to enlarge its footprint in East Africa's largest economy.

Erick Lumallas, the personal assistant to the company's chief executive officer, said during an Aug 17 meeting with taxi drivers in Mombasa that the uptake of electric vehicles in Kenya is growing as more people see their economic and ecological benefits.

"People are starting to learn about electric vehicles. They are learning about the economic benefits of electric vehicles and the environmental impacts that electric vehicles have on carbon footprint," Lumallas said.

In June, the Chinese e-vehicle brand Neta announced its entry into the Kenyan market, with Moja EV acting as its distributor.

Executives have said the Neta V model will retail at 4 million shillings ($31,000).

Zhou Jiang, an overseas business general manager at Neta, said that when fully charged, a Neta e-vehicle can travel 380 km, making it ideal for the Kenyan market, because it is more affordable and requires less maintenance than diesel-powered vehicles.

Lumallas noted that Neta electric cars can enable taxi drivers to cut down on operational costs by 90 percent, adding that Moja EV has been investing in supportive infrastructure to facilitate greater uptake of new energy vehicles in Kenya.

He said that if Moja EV captures 30 percent of the taxi market in Kenya by 2026, the company will have played a pivotal role in the country's green transition.

Isaiah Odhiambo Ngoha, the chairman of Pwani Online Drivers Umbrella, said taxi drivers in the coastal region are keen to adopt Chinese-manufactured electric vehicles since they will shield them from high fuel and maintenance costs.

"We are very excited by China for bringing us electric vehicles into our business," he said. "These electric vehicles will help us in savings ... They will also help the environment by reducing pollution."