The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has announced that the importation of second-hand electric vehicles with a battery life of less than 80 percent will not be allowed going forward.
In a notice on Monday, February 19, KEBS Managing Director Esther Ngari said the new directive is pursuant to the provisions of Legal Notice No.78 of 28th April 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 boss also noted that electric vehicles imported from Japan, UAE, Thailand, Singapore, South Africa, and the UK will be subjected 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.
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This comes barely two months after the Bureau banned the importation of second-hand whose year of first registration is before January 1, 2017.
In a public notice on December 2023, KEBS also said 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.
Second cars dominate the Kenyan market with about 80 percent of the imports coming from Japan, South Africa, the UK, UAE, and Singapore.
