Thika-based firm, Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) received the nod to start assembling Roam’s first fully electric bus known as Roam Move.
The firm entered into a contractual agreement with KVM to benefit from various tax incentives introduced by the Kenya Kwanza administration.
“Assembled entirely in Kenya, the bus exemplifies Roam’s commitment to supporting local manufacturing while advancing the nation’s sustainability goals,” Business Daily quoted Roam’s statement.
“We are thrilled to introduce ‘The Roam Move,’ Kenya’s very own electric shuttle bus. This achievement aligns perfectly with our vision of fostering sustainable transportation solutions that make a positive impact on our environment and our communities,” stated Dennis Wakaba, Roam’s country sales executive.
The Roam bus will be equipped with a 170 kilowatts per hour (kWh) battery pack and a 51-passenger capacity.
The 13.5 tonnes shuttle bus charges for one and a half hours. It is aimed at the matatu (public service vehicle) market.
According to recent directives, firms assembling electric vehicles in the country were given a raft of incentives including zero per cent excise duty, 10 per cent import duty, and zero-rated value-added tax (VAT).
Roam seeks to capitalize on the incentives to increase their fleet and help the country in shifting to electric-powered vehicles.
The company also assembles motorcycles and a mass transit bus dubbed Roam Rapid.
Roam, a Swedish-Kenyan electric vehicle firm, opened a plant along Nairobi’s Mombasa Road that it expects to assemble up to 50,000 motorcycles per year in the medium term.
According to the Kenya Kwanza Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda Ruto pledged to promote e-mobility in the country by creating infrastructure that will enable the use of electric vehicles in the country.
He promised to erect charging points in all urban centers and along all major highways in the country.
