With Kenya set on ensuring a 32% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, Zetech University in Nairobi opted to lend a hand by building the first solar-powered tuk-tuk in the country, a move that is expected to revolutionise the transport industry in the most cost effective and eco-friendly way.
Zetech University unveiled its locally assembled solar powered tuk-tuk in July 2024. According to the brains behind the machine, Professor Gitau Kamau, an expert in ICT and entrepreneurship and member of the Zetech Innovation Entrepreneurship and Technology Hub (iZET), the tuk-tuk is intended to help make transportation cheaper by eliminating reliance on conventional fuel, which also translates to a cleaner environment.
“The vehicle doesn’t use fuel, which makes it cost-effective during this time when the cost of fuel is high. No fuel also means zero carbon emissions into the environment,” Kamau said. “The vehicle is also noiseless, thus eliminating noise pollution.”
Kamau said the tuk-tuk runs on an electric motor and has rechargeable batteries that can last for up to 100km when fully charged. And, while it may look like a normal tuk-tuk, it is faster than what people are used to. “A normal tuk-tuk averages between 40km/h and 60km/h, while ours reaches speeds of more than 60km/h,” Kamau said.
The tuk-tuk has other features that make it stand out. “While other electric vehicles (EV) have to stop and find a charging station when their batteries go low, our tuk-tuk has a solar panel installed on its roofs, thus allowing the batteries to charge even as it goes about its business,” Kamau explained to University World News.
In Kenya, tuk-tuks are mostly used in the coastal region where they are favoured by tourists and locals as a cheaper and easily accessible form of transport. They are also common in rural areas where buses and matatus (privately owned minibus taxis) are few. This makes the solar panel a useful feature as the drivers do not have to look for charging stations, especially in rural areas where there are limited or no charging stations.
The project cost the institution a total of KES390,000 (about US$3,023) to build and, according to Kamau, it will be priced higher than the conventional tuk-tuk at KES450,000 (about US$3,500). A normal tuk-tuk is priced at about KES350,000 (about US$2,700).
Mass production hampered by cost factors
Kamau explained the high cost of e-mobility equipment used to build the tuk-tuk was a major challenge in their mass production plan. He urged the government to come up with policies that encourage the adoption of e-mobility and eliminate excise duty on body parts such as steel, batteries and other accessories. He also asked the government to set aside spaces in the Special Economic Zones for the assembly of body parts.
“The lithium battery, which is preferred due to its higher capacity, is the most expensive part of the vehicle. Since we do not produce them locally, they must be imported,” Kamau said. The tuk-tuk is also made of steel which is quite expensive. If only its cost and that of other accessories could be lowered, the mass production of the tuk-tuks would be cheaper and easier.
Kamau also added that there is a shortage of e-mobility technicians in the country, which made their work challenging to complete as he had limited hands to help him with the work. “I had two students who assisted in branding and marketing, and other skills areas, but limited in technical works due to lack of necessary entry skills,” he said.
Zetech is, however, seeking local and international partnerships to enable it to mass produce the vehicle. The Technical University of Kenya (TU-K) and Spiro have hinted at a possible partnership that is expected to see an EV [electric vehicle] training academy launched at the university. The two have signed a memorandum of understanding, or MoU.
Spiro is the largest EV manufacturing company in Africa, with branches in Kenya, Benin, Ghana, Rwanda, Togo, Nigeria, Uganda and Zimbabwe. The TU-K/Spiro partnership intends to set up a specialised training centre at TU-K aimed at developing top talent in the EV industry.
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