Kenya is starting to make electric SUVs

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Tad Motors, a Kenya-based EV company, has launched a locally-assembled electric SUV, the country’s first. The SUV, named Dhahabu, was unveiled in Nairobi with the company opening orders for the car. Tad Motors runs an assembly plant in Naivasha, 90 km Northwest of Nairobi. The company plans to roll out other models named Makena, Amani and Fahari. 

• EV assembly is on the rise in Kenya, but the vast majority of its capacity is for production of electric motorcycles and bicycles. Companies are moving into assembly of large capacity EVs like cars, vans and buses using both existing fuel car assembly plants and new EV-only plants.  

• Across Africa, local and foreign companies are setting up electric car assembly plants to cater for expected demand. But local assemblers are struggling to keep up with cheap imports, mainly from China, raising concerns.  

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