With the advent of clean energy, going green and environmental conservation, technology is taking an ecofriendly shape to move away from fuel-based machines and vehicles, which release toxic gases into the atmosphere.

The Kenyan government has made great strides in supporting the green initiative through legislation of favorable policies. For instance, to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles, the 2019 Finance Bill included reduced excise duty on electric-powered vehicles from 20% to 10%.

By mid-2023, Kenya hopes to develop and use electric hybrid buses and electrify the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). This is according to its National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) 2018-2022 — a five-year plan which aims to steer Kenya’s climate change action.

The ripple effect has also been felt by SMEs as we now have entrepreneurs like Dave Tuktuk Ltd and Kenneth Guantai have made great strides in introducing and assembling electric tuk-tuks (Rickshaws) in the Kenyan market respectively.

The tuk-tuk; a three-wheeled vehicle stereotyped by some to be unstable, or more like a much safer version of an advanced motorbike, is a source of income to many Kenyans due to its low fuel consumption and capacity.

The first electric tuk-tuk was from Dave Tuktuk Ltd whose battery when fully charged is said to run at a 120kms/hr speed! The use of the batteries is ecofriendly as it ensures there is zero emission of gases into the atmosphere as described in the electric-tuk-tuk-debuts-in-Kenya.

The absence of an internal combustion engine also ensures that it doesn’t produce noise as was the norm of the older fuel version. The noise made the older version undesirable as it was much closer to a juakali artisan’s workshop than a vehicle. The new model is quiet, more like a golf cart crossing through a freshly mowed Winsor golf course.

On the other hand, the new NYS assembled electric tuk-tuk, innovated in 2015 by Kenneth Guantai, is fitted with a unique component that allows it to self-charge while in motion, eliminating additional operations, costs of fuel and electrical charging, it can also carry up to 6 passengers.

Testers have praised the improved tuk-tuk declaring it ideal for SMEs as well as those who do not own private vehicles-as described in -NYS backs electric tuk-tuk innovation.

Images courtesy of The Star

Author: Eric Njaramba