Kenya’s Mobius vs. Uganda’s Kiira

Kenya has her own car and so does Uganda! Well, for Kenya, this is not exactly her first homemade car because there was the Nyayo Pioneer car that never saw mass production, However, as to the question of which is better… we can only leave that to you to decide. Both cars are not very new, because we covered them a year or so back here. However, despite the fact that they are both made in Africa, there are so many differences between the two. If you look at things closely, you will get the idea that if both are destined for the local market, then the Kenyan Mobius will sell faster than the Ugandan Kiira.

This is the Kiira Smack concept car
Image source: http://crtt.mak.ac.ug

What is so good about the Kiira Smack? One, it is a hybrid car, meaning that it uses a combination of combustion engine power and electric power for locomotion. This makes Uganda the very first country in Africa to produce a hybrid car, coming several years after they launched the smaller Kiira EV, which still remains a concept.

Kiira Smack is a very expensive 5 seater compact sedan, but you have to agree that the car is a good looker. It is the kind of car that turns heads wherever it goes. Being priced at UGSHS 78 Million, one cannot help wondering just how people will opt for this car when there are cheaper Nissans, Toyotas and Suzukis, considering the fact that there is no age limit for secondhand car imports to Uganda.

The Cost

And this… on the price tag… is where the Kenyan beast Mobius beats the Smack ten to one, hands down. You see, Mobius costs a meager kshs 950,000. Now, compare that to the UGSHS 78 million, which translates to KSHS2.6 million, give or take a little depending on the forex trends for a given day. Kenyans are a clever lot and they know that with KSHS2.6 million, they can get a very good European car, and even have some money left over.

This is the Kenyan Mobius, already under production
Image source: http://www.buzzmoja.com/

Kiira Smack is made for innovation, Mobius is a workhorse

Kiira is a good looker, very sexy, very polished with sleek and well pronounced lines. However, for the best you pay the most, so Smack is expensive. Going by the current secondhand car import policy of Uganda, was this car really made for business? Because Kiira has been and still is a project of Makerere University, we can assume that it was made for innovation only, maybe it will go to mass production in 2018, or like the Nyayo Pioneer car of Kenya, remain just that; a prototype.

Mobius on the other hand is an ideal workhorse for Africa. First, it can be fitted with size 15, 16 or 17 inch wheels, depending on the terrain. It has high ground clearance, making it the kind of vehicle that would compete with Landrover Discovery if it would have more panache. Mobius is made for farm work most likely, and if it holds its own in the market at that price, it may just dislodge the Probox and Toyota Succeed from their position of the flexible workhorses doubling as family wagons.

Here are a few reasons to buy Mobius and avoid Kiira Smack

First, you will have to charge the Smack battery, which takes 50 amps for four hours, yes, four full hours waiting patiently. In Africa, we were renowned for our patience where we could wait for a bus a full day, sitting under a tree. But those days are long gone now. If patience is not your strongest of virtues, don’t buy Kiira. Those 50 amps will take you for 80km and then you will have to recharge.

Kiira can carry five people, while the Mobius can carry 8 people and has cargo capacity for more than 600kg. It is can do a top speed of 160km/h on a 5-speed gear box, manual transmission.

Kiira Smack front interior looks very appealing and luxurious
Image source: http://www.buzzmoja.com

While Mobius doesn’t have the looks that turn heads, it is not the kind of truck/SUV that you would try to dent. But come to think of it…. If you love a rugged, stripped and sturdy car such as those that you see in Rhino Charge, you will love Mobius.