Electric vehicles in Kenya will now carry distinctive green number plates as the government intensifies efforts to promote e-mobility and encourage motorists to shift away from petrol- and diesel-powered cars.

Transport Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir announced the immediate rollout of the green plates on Tuesday during the official launch of the National Electric Mobility Policy at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi. He said the plates will serve as the official identifier for electric vehicles on Kenyan roads and boost public awareness of cleaner transport options.

“As I mentioned in my earlier remarks, this will be the new kid in town. All the electric vehicle number plates will now be green, registered in green,” Chirchir said.

He added that the new plates will act as a visible marker of Kenya’s transition toward low-carbon transport.

“So we will be launching the green number plate for all the electric vehicles. This will be the signature for those of us supporting the reduction of carbon footprints.”

Chirchir urged the country’s more than 24,000 electric vehicle owners to gradually replace their existing plates, pointing to the lower operating costs and environmental advantages of electric mobility. He clarified that petrol and diesel vehicles will continue using the current reflective number plates, even as the government pushes to cut the number of fuel-powered cars on Kenyan roads by 2030.

“You know number plates are only 3,000 shillings. There’s the cost of production; the materials are not available for producing number plates. You’ll appreciate spending money. So we’ll ask those of us who are on EV vehicles to progressively move to green number plates; it will only cost you 3,000, and we’ll endeavour to accelerate the replacement,” he said.

When asked whether the green plates would come with incentives, Chirchir said their value lies in visibility and national identity.

“The plates are good optics for our country,” he said, adding that they will help Kenyans appreciate the direction the country is taking.

The unveiling of the green plates coincided with the launch of Kenya’s National Electric Mobility Policy, which outlines a roadmap for transitioning the transport sector away from fossil fuels across road, rail, air and maritime systems.

Representing President William Ruto at the KICC event, CS Chirchir said the policy aims to establish an integrated policy, legal and institutional framework to accelerate the adoption of e-mobility.

“It will promote the local manufacturing and assembly of electric motor vehicles,” Chirchir said while reading the President’s speech.

The policy also targets the expansion of e-mobility infrastructure, the strengthening of local technical capacity, and the improvement of fiscal and non-fiscal measures to speed up the uptake of electric vehicles nationwide.

“We reaffirm the government’s unwavering commitment to building a cleaner, smarter, affordable, and more sustainable transport system for our country. We will also be reaching out to our neighbouring countries to ensure a harmonised approach in the development and adoption of electric mobility to facilitate seamless cross-border improvement,” Chirchir said.

He called for swift and disciplined implementation of the policy to unlock its full economic and environmental potential.

“Let’s move with speed and with discipline, building quality standards, enabling investment, expanding infrastructure, skilling our workforce, and ensuring affordability and inclusion. If we do this well, Kenya will not only adopt electric mobility, but we will build an industry, create jobs, strengthen our currency position, and deliver cleaner air and better livelihoods,” he added.

Chirchir also highlighted that electric mobility could become a key driver of green growth and economic resilience through partnerships and innovation.

“Through partnerships, innovation, and shared vision, we can transform our transport sector into a powerful engine of green growth, economic resilience, and environmental stewardship. One that creates opportunities for our people while safeguarding our planet,” he said.

He urged leaders and participants attending the National Policy Mobility Lounge to adopt the green plates, describing them as a symbol of commitment to reducing carbon footprints.

The reflective green plates, which will appear on both the front and rear of electric vehicles, were initially scheduled for rollout in 2024 during the tenure of former Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen but faced delays.

Under the National Electric Mobility Policy, Kenya targets electric vehicles to account for at least 5 per cent of newly registered vehicles by 2025, with a long-term ambition of full electrification and net-zero emissions by 2050.