Kenyan drivers who own electric vehicles could soon gain exclusive privileges under a proposal to issue unique number plates for all EVs. The plan would include access to designated parking spaces and special traffic zones.
Under the government’s E-mobility Sector Investment Opportunity Report, officials have proposed special number plates for electric vehicles and electric boda bodas. Officials say the measures are intended to boost adoption of EVs and draw investment into Kenya’s e-mobility sector.
Proposed Privileges for EV Owners
The Kenya Investment Authority said the proposed plates would allow EV owners to use designated parking areas, enter noise-level-controlled zones, and benefit from green traffic corridors and dedicated parking bays.
The authority added that the plates would also support faster processing through dedicated “green channels” at ports of entry and exit, helping streamline import and export procedures.
Distinct From the Existing Green Plates
This new proposal comes months after the Ministry of Transport introduced a separate scheme, green reflective number plates for electric vehicles and boda bodas, to promote cleaner transport and make EVs easier to spot on the road. Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir directed all electric vehicles to use these green plates, which drivers can obtain through an NTSA application at a cost of KSh3,000.
The newly proposed privilege-linked plates, tied to parking access, traffic zones, and border processing, are separate from and in addition to the existing green plates already in use.
Part of a Wider Draft Policy
The proposal forms part of the draft National E-mobility Policy, which aims to encourage more Kenyans to shift from petrol and diesel-powered vehicles to electric ones through a mix of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.
Beyond the special number plates, the report proposes VAT exemptions for electric vehicles, reduced stamp duty for EV projects, waived EV registration fees, and an increase in the government’s electric vehicle fleet to 3,000 vehicles.
The policy also targets the construction of 1,000 electric vehicle charging stations, about 700 in urban centers and another 300 along major highways.
Further plans include assembling at least 80 percent of electric vehicles sold in Kenya locally, with KenGen supporting the recycling of lithium-ion batteries.
Officials estimate that by 2030, Kenya could have around 250,000 electric vehicles on the road, cutting carbon emissions by approximately 1.5 million tonnes while creating nearly 100,000 jobs across the EV value chain.
