Government Issues New Directive On Importation Of Electric Cars
The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has announced that the importation of used electric vehicles with a battery life of less than 80% will no longer be permitted.
In a notice issued on Monday, February 19, KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari stated that the new directive is in accordance with the provisions of Legal Notice No.78 dated April 28, 2020.
“We wish to notify all importers of used/secondhand electric motor vehicles that all used/Secondhand electric motor vehicles must have battery life not less than 80% to be allowed for importation into the country,” read the notice in part.
The KEBS head also stated that electric vehicles imported from Japan, the UAE, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, and the United Kingdom will be subject to mandatory pre-inspection.
“Further, used electric motor vehicles imported from Japan, UAE, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, and the UK are subject to mandatory Pre-Inspection by Quality Inspection Services Inc (QISJ) which is the – KEBS-appointed inspection agent for motor vehicles,” Ngari added.
This comes just two months after the Bureau prohibited the importation of second-hand vehicles with first registration years prior to January 1, 2017.
In a public notice issued in December 2023, KEBS stated that only right-hand drive vehicles will be allowed into the country.
“Any vehicle registered in 2016 or earlier, arriving after December 31, 2023, will be deemed not compliant with KS 1515:2000 and shall be rejected at the importer’s expense,” KEBS stated.
Secondhand cars dominate the Kenyan market, accounting for approximately 80% of imports from Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Singapore.
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Government Issues New Directive On Importation Of Electric Cars
