A new dawn for motor industry in E.Africa?

BY GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY CORRESPONDENT

16th November 20

Kiira EV

East Africa residents are likely to breathe with a sigh of relief by doing away with troubles associated with  importation of cars from oversees after reliable reports emerged yesterday stating that Uganda has  made a breakthrough by manufacturing and launching its home-brand first hybrid vehicle.
 
Though it is a single unit so far manufactured, the vehicle, Kiira EV SMART was launched Thursday this week as the region’s first sedan hybrid electronic vehicle, developed by Kiira Motors Corporation in Uganda.

This means that Uganda has beaten both Kenya and Tanzania in terms of vehicles manufacturing technology after producing the first hybrid vehicle in East Africa. 
KIIRA EV was launched at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi.

Information published yesterday by The Daily Nation quoted the managing director, Africa Talentbank.com Ltd Miriam Mukasa as saying: “We are looking for collaboration because it’s an expensive venture. We are looking at $300 million assembly line in Jinja. This vehicle is a prototype and we expect to go to mass production by 2018.”

Mukasa estimated the cost of the vehicle at $30,000 (Tsh 48m) when it is released into the market. However, given the fact that majority of East African  residents prefer to purchase used cars that, according to them, are cheaper the price of this new vehicle may also prove to be a challenge to them.

A hybrid electronic vehicle combines the internal combustion engine propulsion system with electronic propulsion, reducing fuel use and performance.

Its braking system turns the heat produced into energy that charges the battery, unlike the conventional brakes.

The launch of the hybrid vehicle comes weeks after Kenya announced the entry of its first vehicle into the market known as Mobius at Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers based in Thika.

The KSh950,000 car is said to be the cheapest new vehicle in Kenya, which the manufacturers said was similar to the price of a seven-year-old sedan vehicle, not designed to operate on degraded roads and rough terrain, or carry the heavy load common with travellers in the region.

The car has a capacity of eight passengers, a load capacity of 625 kilogrammes and a maximum speed of 160 kilometres per hour on a five-speed manual gearbox.

The manufacturer of Mobius appointed former Safaricom chief executive officer Michael Joseph as its marketing adviser, underwriting its intention to make a strong presence in the market.
In mid October, Kenya sought to launch its first production vehicle, Mobius II by Mobius Motors, a vehicle designed for the rugged roads of Africa.

Reports said the automaker is funding the initiative after raising financing from Richard Parsons and Ronald Lauder's Pan-African Investment Company (PIC). The investment will help Mobius complete its first production run of 50 Mobius II vehicles, and has scheduled production of the Mobius III for 2016.

"The Mobius vehicles will create a transport platform empowering local entrepreneurs and villagers," said Dana Reed, chief executive of PIC.

The Mobius II, which is assembled in Kenya, offers the functionality and durability of an off-road car. It's well-suited for travelling and carrying goods for long distances on bumpy roads, according to the company. The vehicle costs 950,000 KES (approximately $10,000).

Tanzania through its Tanzania Automotive Technology Center (TATC) has been undertaking special engineering tasks of designing, developing and manufacturing motor vehicles since 1985.

TATC has been manufacturing vehicles of Nyumbu make mostly used by the Tanzania Peoples’ Defence Forces, but rarely had it produced an ordinary vehicles for civilian use.

When asked yesterday whether the army had any plans to manufacture ordinary vehicles, TPDF spokesman Major Joseph Masanja declined comment, saying the matter was a policy issue which the military could not respond to abruptly.

“This is a policy issue and I think people dealing with such matters at the ministerial level are better placed to help you,” he said.

In Tanzania the project is under the Ministry of Defense and National Service as opposed to   higher learning institutions in Uganda and Kenya.

Ngugi K’s article ‘Tanzania Automotive Technology Center 28 Years Later,’ said TATC received their start up and subsequent funding for uplifting and maintenance from government coffers. This meant that the entity was, and still is entirely owned by the government.

Technical requirements of the set up were also supplied by the government in cooperation with Timoney Technology Limited of Ireland.

East African residents purchase cars from Japan, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Britain, Germany, France and even the United States. With the production of the KIIRA EV individuals who like such a model may now find it relieving to skip troubles of importing them from abroad.

SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY