Rideence Africa Limited will invest Ksh.320 million to start assembling electric vehicles locally at the Associated Vehicle Assemblers (AVA) plant in Mombasa, as the company shifts from importing fully built units to domestic production.

In a statement issued on Monday, the firm said the first phase will see 152 electric vehicles assembled from completely knocked-down kits by the end of February 2026.

These include 132 Henrey taxi models and 20 Joylong electric high-roof matatus.

Rideence has so far operated by importing finished vehicles from China for its lease-to-drive taxi and matatu business.

The company reports deploying more than 180 electric vehicles over the past three years, comprising 54 matatus and 128 taxis, which it says is the largest electric ride-hailing fleet in East Africa.

Under its leasing model, drivers pay Ksh.2,400 per day for the vehicles. The company estimates charging costs at about Ksh.400 for a 200-kilometre range, compared to more than Ksh.2,000 for petrol over the same distance.

Managing Director Minnan Yu said Rideence has invested more than Ksh1.4 billion in Kenya since 2023 and is now moving toward local manufacturing.

The company plans to increase local parts procurement to over 25 per cent by 2026, with a longer-term target of 40 to 60 per cent.

"We are moving beyond importing solutions to co-creating them locally, building an ecosystem that addresses Kenya’s specific challenges, from fuel price volatility to the need for skilled jobs," said Yu.

The Mombasa assembly project is expected to expand employment in the sector. Rideence says it has already created between 550 and 680 direct jobs and projects at least 3,000 additional direct and indirect jobs through supply chains, charging infrastructure and related services.

To support the rollout, the company is offering technical training at its service centres and is in discussions with the University of Nairobi to introduce electric vehicle technology programmes.

Rideence is also expanding its charging network, with plans to grow from 16 stations to 100 nationwide by the end of 2026.

AVA, a subsidiary of Simba Corp, said the partnership will establish a dedicated electric vehicle assembly line at its Mombasa facility as Kenya seeks to grow local automotive manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.

“This partnership delivers Kenya’s first dedicated electric vehicle assembly line, demonstrating clearly that the country has the capacity and capability to assemble EVs locally at scale," said Matt Lloyd, Managing Director AVA.

"Through local assembly, we are accelerating the transition to affordable, low-emission transport while creating jobs, enabling technology transfer, and strengthening Kenya’s industrial base for long-term economic growth.”