This archive report was first published on 23 July 2019.
On July 23, 2019, Toyota Kenya announced plans to invest Sh100 million into local production of its popular Hilux model, marking a significant expansion of its portfolio of Kenya-produced motor vehicles.
The move comes more than three years after the firm first went public on the plans, and follows the successful assembly of Land Cruiser pick-ups, Hino trucks, and Yamaha Motorcycles.
According to Toyota Kenya Managing Director Arvinder Reel, the decision to produce Hilux locally was driven by its popularity, with the first batch of assembled vehicles expected to hit the market by the end of October.
"We took a decision to work with Hilux because this is one of our highest selling models. By end of October we expect the first batch of locally assembled Hilux out. This will be the first phase since we are looking to assemble other models in the near future," Reel said.
The project is part of President Uhuru Kenyatta's Big 4 agenda, which aims to create jobs and boost the local manufacturing sector. Toyota Kenya is banking on the Automotive Policy, currently being processed for implementation, to address challenges affecting the vehicle industry.
Currently, the local auto industry produces just about 6,000 vehicles per year, a fifth of the installed capacity of 34,000 units. At its height in the 1980s, the industry was producing over 13,000 vehicles per year.
