Browns Plantations Kenya launches 30 electric trucks
Browns Tea Plantations Kenya has deployed electric trucks and charging infrastructure as part of a wider strategy to cut emissions and accelerate sustainable tea logistics.
KENYA – Browns Tea Plantations Kenya has launched a fleet of 30 heavy-duty electric trucks as part of a major sustainability initiative aimed at transforming logistics operations and reducing carbon emissions across its tea estates.
The Kericho-based multinational tea producer, working in partnership with ElandX and NCBA Group, has already deployed 15 electric trucks under the first phase of the programme to transport fresh green leaf tea to processing factories.
The company has also installed dedicated electric vehicle charging infrastructure across its factories and estates to support operations, with plans for further expansion as the fleet grows.
Browns Plantations Kenya Chief Executive Officer Dushanth Ratwatte said the rollout marks a significant shift in the company’s logistics and sustainability strategy.
“This deployment represents a shift in how we think about industrial logistics. We are integrating electric mobility into the core of our estate operations to improve efficiency, reduce emissions, and build a more resilient and future-ready production system,” Ratwatte said.
He added that the electric truck initiative forms part of a broader decarbonisation strategy focused on renewable energy, innovation and long-term operational transformation.
According to Ratwatte, the company aims to source 100 per cent of its electricity from company-owned renewable energy generation by 2030 while targeting carbon neutrality by 2040.
The electric trucks are being introduced gradually as operational capacity and charging infrastructure continue to expand across the company’s estates.
The project operates under a fleet-as-a-service model developed by ElandX, while NCBA Group is providing structured financing and leasing support to facilitate the transition without significant upfront capital expenditure.
The programme also builds on Browns Tea Plantations Kenya’s wider low-carbon logistics infrastructure, including the Ariel Ropeway conveyance system used to transport harvested tea across plantation terrain while reducing dependence on diesel-powered transportation systems.
The company stated that approximately 60 per cent of its electricity demand is currently supplied through company-owned hydro and solar energy systems, with the remainder sourced from Kenya’s largely renewable national grid powered mainly by geothermal energy.
Browns Plantations Kenya Limited is one of Kenya’s leading tea and timber producers and exporters, operating across Kericho and Bomet counties. The company manages more than 5,000 hectares of tea and over 2,000 hectares of forestry supported by four tea factories, nine estates and a sawmill.
Kenya continues to accelerate investments in electric mobility and clean transport infrastructure through supportive government policies and private sector participation.
Globally, electric vehicle adoption is also rising rapidly. According to the International Energy Agency’s Global Electric Vehicle Outlook 2025 report, one in every four vehicles sold worldwide in 2025 was electric, with global EV sales increasing by 20 per cent to exceed 20 million units.
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