Kenya will start selling locally assembled electric cars in January 2026, with prices ranging from Sh1.3 million to Sh1.5 million, targeting buyers who now rely on imported second-hand vehicles.

The project is led by Ethiopian-born entrepreneur Tadesse Tessema through TAD Motors, which is investing up to Sh1.3 billion in a plant at the Naivasha Special Economic Zone.

The company plans to produce 3,000 units a year.

“October, November, and December will be our assembly preparation months. From the end of January, we will begin deliveries. We will be looking to manufacture on a need basis,” he said in an interview.

The facility, on four acres, will assemble vehicles from complete knock-down kits. Local content is expected to reach 60 per cent within three years and 80 per cent in the long term.

“Those three pillars: clean power, tariff support, and industrial policy, make Kenya ideal for affordable EVs built for African roads,” he said.

Tessema said the company will focus on small sedans and SUVs. 3

The cars will have onboard chargers compatible with standard systems, allowing charging at homes and workplaces.

“Our models come with onboard charging systems that can use standard charging systems, allowing owners to recharge at home or work even as public charging infrastructure expands,”  Tessema explained.

Electric motorcycles dominate Kenya’s EV market, though registrations of three and four-wheelers are increasing.

Incentives such as reduced import duties and a preferential tariff have attracted firms including BasiGo, BYD and Autopax, alongside Chinese imports.

“We are building small sedans and SUVs locally, with higher local-content targets and designs tuned for Kenyan roads—not just importing buses or finished units,” he noted.

“Kenya is on the right track—renewables-heavy grid, a special EV tariff, and a draft e-mobility policy. Now it’s about speed and consistency in implementation,” he said.

TAD Motors will first release the Makena EV and Amani EV, followed by the Dhahabu, with two more models, Taji and Fahari, as production ramps up.