Chinese EV models are looking forward to expanding their influence in the African market, with the latest entry being Neta which signed a deal with auto distributor, Moja EV Kenya, on Wednesday.
- •Neta’s overseas business General Manager, Zhou Jiang said the Neta V model will be available in Kenya for a price of KSh 4 million.
- •The vehicle also boasts a mileage of 380-kilometres on full charge and a durable battery that will reduce maintenance costs for its buyers.
- •Moja EV Kenya will import about 160 EVs from the Chinese manufacturer this coming month, with slated plans to assemble 250 EVs every month.
“The electric vehicle is ideal for the Kenyan market because it offers affordability combined with low operational costs compared to conventional vehicles,” said Zhou.
Neta intends to use its Nairobi distribution outlet as a pioneering zone for regional dominance. East African nations, including Rwanda and Kenya, have been at the forefront of EV policy in the continent – fostering shimmering opportunities for manufacturers and assembly lines in the region.
“Electric automobiles have advantages, relying on batteries for movement and lacking internal combustion engines, which reduces the need for regular mechanical maintenance,” said Moja EV Kenya CEO, Wang Aiping.
Another Chinese EV manufacturer, BYD, also signed a deal with Ampersand this month – pledging to boost the company’s EV motorbike production in Rwanda. This focus on Africa has been analyzed as an attempt by Chinese EV manufacturers to diversify their market.
In the European Union, Chinese EV makers have been slapped with high tariffs and import restrictions over what the continental body terms as ‘unfair competition’. The United States also ramped up its tariffs on Chinese imports to ‘save local manufacturers’.
The Western Bloc has accused China of subsidizing production of EVs, significantly lowering the costs of their vehicle models. This has been regarded as ‘unfair competition’ because manufacturers in the West do not enjoy such subsidies from their respective governments.
The counterclaim emanating from climate actors has criticized the tariffs as a disruption in EV uptake which would aggravate carbon emissions and slow down efforts to rule out fuel-powered vehicles by 2030. According to them, cheaper EVs in a free market would push adoption rates up.
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