The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) has announced plans to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along Kenyan highways, with one station approximately every 25 kilometers.
These charging stations will be located on both sides of the road.
“For long-range EVs (like long-range SUVs) and heavy-duty EVs such as buses/trucks, there should be at least one fast charging station with appropriate charging infrastructure at every 100 kilometers, one on each side of the highways/road located preferably within/ alongside the charging stations,” EPRA says.
Within city limits, charging facilities for heavy-duty EVs, like buses, will be placed at bus stops.
However, swapping facilities will not be mandatory within cities for buses and trucks.
EPRA intends to maintain a national online database of all public charging stations, and anyone planning to set up a public charging system must obtain an electricity retail supply license from EPRA in advance.
For private charging infrastructure, which is intended exclusively for in-house use, such as company buses, the specifications for charging can be customized according to the company’s needs.
“Charging points shall be certified and type-approved and tested by KEBS or any other accredited agency.
Private charging infrastructure shall be operational only after inspection, testing, and issuance of a completion certificate issued by a licensed electrical contractor or inspector,” EPRA says.
Battery swapping stations will also need to have their infrastructure tested and certified according to safety standards developed or approved by KEBS.
“Every battery swapping station shall only be operational after inspection, testing, and issuance of a completion certificate issued by a licensed electrical contractor or inspector,” the regulator adds.
In Kenya, public transport, including buses and motorcycle taxis (known as boda bodas), has been at the forefront of adopting EVs.
However, despite the 2023 e-mobility report by Kenya Power indicating that there are over 1,350 electric-powered vehicles in the country, the lack of charging infrastructure has been a significant barrier to widespread EV adoption.
Of this number, 62% are motorcycles.
EPRA previously approved a separate tariff for electric vehicles, allowing owners to purchase electricity at discounted rates, and reducing charging costs to encourage investment in the EV sector.
As a result, electric vehicle users will pay Ksh.17 per kilowatt-hour (unit) of electricity, compared to the Ksh.27 per unit charged to domestic users.
Kenya Power has also announced that it has sufficient power capacity to charge 50,000 buses and two million motorcycles during off-peak hours, indicating a positive shift towards electric mobility in the country.
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