Move over Japan, here comes Mobius

You might now be able to drive a wholly Kenyan-made car, made specifically for our roads, if the efforts of a local company are anything to by.

Retailing at Sh950,000, Mobius II is said to be designed with specifications for the Kenyan market.

According to information from their website, the car is simplified by eliminating air conditioners, interior fixtures and even glass windows, while maximising functions with relevant suspension and handling.

The two-tonne vehicle has a loading capacity of 625 kilos, and an engine capacity of 1598cc, which means Mobius II delivers 12 kilometres to a litre on highway driving and 10 kms per litre in city driving.

The vehicle has three doors and can carry seven passengers, excluding the driver. Spare parts are reportedly readily available in the locally.

The release of Mobius is set to boost Kenyan car assembly business which rides on tax exemptions that the government has offered to attract investors and create jobs. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that 3,611 vehicles were assembled in Kenya in the period to June 2014, accounting for 40 per cent of the new 8,915 units sold in the same period.

Mobius Motors is the car maker while Thika-based Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) is the assembling line for the car.

Mobius, whose design and engineering works is supported by American billionaire Ronald Lauder, has opened a showroom at Sameer Business Park along Mombasa Road. KVM has assembled 50 units has so far sold 10 units.

 However, not everyone is excited about the outcome. There are those who feel that Mobius is an ugly contraption. Still, others are urging patience, arguing that there is time to improve the features, including the looks.

 Joel Jackson, the design brains behind Mobius, told a local daily that he expects a vehicle designed specifically for the African market to appeal to business owners who are looking for affordable transportation.

 Isika Ndolongwe, a field assistant at Juhudi Kilimo, said he drove the car from Nairobi to Murang’a and from Nairobi to Mombasa, and is full of praises for it. “It is powerful and economical. We deal with farmers, and the carrying capacity is good for farming. Besides, it is spacious enough,” said Isika.

Mike Mwai, a motoring expert, feels that more needs to be done, adding that Mobius will not solve the problems of Kenyan drivers. “We have the capacity to build better cars. Technical universities have equipment idling around. Young innovators need training and an evaluation to ascertain whether the market is available,” says Mwai.

In 2011, Makerere University built an electric car, the trendy KIIZA EV, which is capable of doing 150 kilometers per hour. It can also run for up to 80 kilometers on a single charge.

Aside from its steering wheel, every other component was designed and constructed in Uganda. Official commercialisation of KiiZa EV will start in 2018.