In a smart move to make Kenya's transportation cleaner, Bolt, the ride-hailing company, is putting a lot of money, around N582 million (Sh10 million), into electric cars (EVs). This is a big deal because it's a major change from the regular cars they use now. And guess what? Uber just started using electric motor taxis, called "boda boda," in Kenya not too long ago.
Martin Villig, one of the people who started Bolt, talked about their plan at the Tallinn Digital Summit. They want to let people in Kenya choose electric cars when they need a ride. Villig hopes this will happen within the next year, making travel in Kenya a lot greener.
Villig said, "We're starting with smaller electric vehicles, like two- and three-wheelers. They're cheaper for both drivers and passengers, and they're easier to get. We're going to work with electric car makers to find good and affordable EVs."
But here's more good news: Bolt is teaming up with banks to help people in Kenya get the money they need to buy electric two- and three-wheelers. Villig thinks that these electric rides will become really popular in Kenya over the next two to three years. When the Kenyan delegation visited Bolt's headquarters, they got to check out electric scooters too.
Safety is a big deal, especially in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, where Bolt operates. To make things safer, Bolt is going to work closely with Kenya's National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). They want to make sure that all their drivers are good, safe drivers. Safety is a top priority for Bolt as they start using electric cars.
Electric cars are great because they don't pollute as much, and they have a lot of other good things about them. But here's the thing: switching from regular cars to electric cars isn't easy. You need places to charge them up, and you need the government to make it cheaper with tax breaks.
Villig says, "We need charging stations and places to swap out the batteries. We already have electric bikes for deliveries, and we're thinking about using electric cars for food delivery too. Right now, Bolt has 40 electric bikes to make deliveries in Nairobi.
Here's some more good news! The Kenyan government is all for this idea. In June, President William Ruto said he wanted it to be easy for people to get electric motorbikes for taxis. That's a big deal for electric cars and means cleaner travel in Kenya's future.
Kenya isn't the only place thinking about electric cars. Many African countries are looking into it. Sure, there are some problems, like not having enough places to charge the cars and not everyone knowing how great electric cars are. But with Bolt and others making it happen and the government helping out, it looks like electric travel is getting bigger in Kenya and all over Africa.
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