4,000 Tembo e-LV EV Conversion Kits For Kenyan Utility Vehicles

One of the best ways to accelerate the transition to electric mobility is to convert the current fleet of ICE vehicles around the world to electric. Streamlining conversion kits to zone in on a particular model is one way of ensuring that significant volumes of ICE vehicles can be converted by targeting fleet operators and in the process facilitate faster production processes and lead times. This is why the several companies in the conversion industry have zoned in on the Toyota Land Cruiser and the Toyota Hilux.

One of the leaders in this space is Tembo. Tembo is an electric vehicle company that focuses on designing and building ruggedized electric vehicle solutions for various sectors including mining, infrastructure, utilities, tourism, and government services. The company is at the forefront of electric vehicle conversion for some of the most widely used utility vehicle models, including the Landcruiser and Hilux, which are equipped to function in harsh environments. Tembo is a subsidiary of VivoPower.

Tembo’s conversion kits transform diesel-powered Toyota Land Cruiser and Hilux vehicles into ruggedized electric light vehicles for use in mining and other hard-to-decarbonize sectors. Tembo e-LV products are a key component of VivoPower’s turnkey net-zero solutions to assist both government and corporate enterprises accelerate towards their decarbonization goals.

Here are some specs of one of Tembo’s conversion kits for the Tembo e-LV:

Charging Contact: Mennekes type 2
Recuperation: Up to 75 kW
Charging: 22 kW onboard charger
Charger Supply: 32A @415V 3-phase: 360-440V
Charging Time: 2 hrs / 1hr (AC Charge / DC Charge)
Battery Capacity: 63 kWh (nominal)
Thermal Management: Glycol
Electric Motor Power: (Cont./Max.) 65kW/110kW*
Motor Torque: (Cont./Max.) 140Nm/250Nm*
Max RPM: 12,000

Other Specifications:

Max. Gradeability: 35%
Range: 200km
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM): 3,510 kg
Towing capacity: 2500 kg
Gross Combination Mass (GCM): 6010 kg
Kerb (without tray): 2496 kg
Payload: 1,014 kg (GVM-based)
Wheel-base: 3180 mm
Transmission type: 4WD, only low gear for mining
Transfer Case: High gear 1:1 – Low gear 2.488

In a major boost for electrification of some of the current fleet of utility vehicles in Africa, Tembo e-LV B.V. has entered into a Definitive Distribution Agreement with Energy Trading Company Mauritius (ETC Mauritius) to sell, distribute, and market Tembo electrification conversion kits for Toyota 4×4 second-hand vehicles in the Republic of Kenya. Under the agreement, ETC Mauritius has committed to sell a minimum of 4,000 Tembo e-LV conversion kits from execution of this agreement until 31st December 2027 across various industry sectors in Kenya. ETC Mauritius will be responsible for acquiring Toyota second-hand vehicles, converting the vehicles to ruggedized e-LVs using Tembo solutions, selling the units to end-customers, and providing after-sale servicing and maintenance with support from Tembo.

VivoPower estimates that total addressable market for 2nd hand vehicle repowering globally estimated to be worth $110 bn.

Here are some quotes on the partnership:

Kevin Chin, Executive Chairman and CEO of VivoPower, said: “We are delighted to announce this distribution partnership with ETC, given their longstanding and deep ties with both government and the private sector in Kenya. This partnership is a landmark milestone for Tembo e-LV on two fronts: it represents our single largest commitment of future orders for Tembo e-LV conversion kits at all levels within a single country and importantly it heralds our entry into the second-hand vehicle repowering market, which effectively multiplies our total addressable market. We look forward to working closely with the ETC team to deliver our solutions to Kenya, assisting both government and private sector achieve their energy transition goals over the next five years and beyond.”

Sacha E Cook, CEO of ETC Mauritius, said: “We are delighted to become a distributor of Tembo e-LVs in Kenya, which will allow us to play a significant role in achieving our country’s net zero targets by 2030. Having evaluated a number of alternatives, we decided to partner with Tembo, with which we can lead the way to decarbonise key sectors, including mining, public sector, agriculture and tourism across the country. We look forward to becoming part of the Tembo e-LV family and building a solid partnership in the coming years.”

Image courtesy of Tembo

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