Kenyan taxi driver switches to Chinese EV for smoother, efficient ride

On a bustling Monday morning, Patrick Opiyo drives his electric taxi, fulfilling ride-hailing orders in the busy streets of Nairobi, Kenya. Thanks to the car's quiet operation, his passengers are able to relax or even work without distractions.

Like most drivers in Kenya, previously Opiyo drove a fossil fuel taxi. However, soaring gas prices in Kenya pushed him to consider an electric vehicle. And when he learned that Moja EV Kenya, the distributor of the Chinese electric vehicle brand Neta, would launch electric taxis in Nairobi in October, he did not hesitate to switch to a new electric vehicle.

In late October, the first 30 Neta EV were launched in Nairobi, and by the end of the year, a total of 100 EV taxis will be added to the city's taxi fleet, according to Wang Aiping, CEO of Moja EV Kenya, adding that the measure will contribute to reducing air pollution from conventional fossil fuel cars in Nairobi and boost green transformation of the country's transport.