Sinister
JF-Expert Member
- Feb 18, 2013
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Electric taxis — a welcome drop in Nairobi's pool of emissions
An electric taxi can travel 150 kilometers on full charge. As the Kenyan capital struggles with air pollution, electric taxis are an opportunity for cleaner transport and also a way to make money.
Launched in Kenya in August 2018 by Finnish company EkoRent — which started out as an electric car rental app in Helsinki — Nopia has so far installed five charging stations in three locations, including the Two Rivers Mall, the Hub Karen and Thika Road Mall.
The Two Rivers Mall operates a 12 megawatt solar and diesel power station, while Hub Karen has installed a 450 kilowatt solar electric power generating plant.
Tackling Nairobi's increasing CO2 output.
Like many other African cities, Nairobi relies heavily on fuel-based individual transport and shared taxis or minibuses known as matatus. According to the Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan 2016 - 2030, Kenya's transport related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have doubled over the last ten years.
As the population continues to grow over the next decade, the majority of African countries will also have to deal with massive vehicle fleet growth. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) stresses the need to channel that growth into low emission transport, otherwise such a drastic increase in air pollution may make some cities uninhabitable.
"Electric mobility grants Africa the opportunity to move to cleaner transport," David Rubia an air quality and mobility program officer at the UNEP told DW. "This will help reduce climate emissions, improve air quality and facilitate economic growth."
Through its Nationally Determined Contribution, Kenya committed to reduce its emissions by 30 percent by 2030. But Kenya's transport emissions have tripled between 2010 and 2030 as the country continues to grow.
An electric taxi can travel 150 kilometers on full charge. As the Kenyan capital struggles with air pollution, electric taxis are an opportunity for cleaner transport and also a way to make money.
Launched in Kenya in August 2018 by Finnish company EkoRent — which started out as an electric car rental app in Helsinki — Nopia has so far installed five charging stations in three locations, including the Two Rivers Mall, the Hub Karen and Thika Road Mall.
The Two Rivers Mall operates a 12 megawatt solar and diesel power station, while Hub Karen has installed a 450 kilowatt solar electric power generating plant.
Tackling Nairobi's increasing CO2 output.
Like many other African cities, Nairobi relies heavily on fuel-based individual transport and shared taxis or minibuses known as matatus. According to the Green Economy Strategy and Implementation Plan 2016 - 2030, Kenya's transport related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have doubled over the last ten years.
As the population continues to grow over the next decade, the majority of African countries will also have to deal with massive vehicle fleet growth. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) stresses the need to channel that growth into low emission transport, otherwise such a drastic increase in air pollution may make some cities uninhabitable.
"Electric mobility grants Africa the opportunity to move to cleaner transport," David Rubia an air quality and mobility program officer at the UNEP told DW. "This will help reduce climate emissions, improve air quality and facilitate economic growth."
Through its Nationally Determined Contribution, Kenya committed to reduce its emissions by 30 percent by 2030. But Kenya's transport emissions have tripled between 2010 and 2030 as the country continues to grow.
