Isuzu East Africa, a regional vehicle assembler, plans to test the Kenyan electric vehicle (EV) market with the launch of its first battery-powered truck before the end of the year. The company is positioning itself to meet the country’s evolving transportation needs as part of a broader global transition towards sustainable mobility solutions.
In an interview with Financial Afrik, Rita Kavashe, Chairperson of the Board and Managing Director of Isuzu East Africa, stated that one of the main concerns regarding the introduction of a new electric vehicle to the Kenyan market and the reason it took them some time before launching their first electric vehicle was the short battery life associated with many electric automobiles.
“Our first electric vehicle will arrive in Kenya in 2025, a truck, to be tested with our customers, and we will collect data as we study the market needs,” Ms. Kavashe said.
“The battery life is our biggest challenge today, especially as these are commercial vehicles. We do not want our customers to have to make round trips to recharge these vehicles,” she added.
Isuzu Motors Limited, Isuzu’s parent company, is investing in the global launch of low-emission vehicles. By 2030, it plans to offer battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell electric solutions for every product in its range. Some versions are expected to go into mass production as early as 2026.
