Kenyan vehicle manufacturer Mobius has received a Sh500 million loan from the US

[Mkikuyu- Akili timamu]

Anything 70% made locally is better than thebest car made outside, with Mobius, atleast we are cerculating 60% of the money locally, and skilled laboure gets valuable experexperience and exposure... with an Iimported Toyota, the only laboure that benefits Iis the salesman, and the taxman, the rest of the money goes back to SA that assembled the car and Japanese that manufactured the parts

Thats why there is a difference between the mind of a politician and an economist. 70% Kenyan car with 0.00001 marketshare that will never grow to even 1% is good for political and patriotic sentiments. 100% foreign car with 99.9999% marketshare providing hundreds of thousands of jobs to Mechanics,bodyshop repairs, paintshops etc with regular income makes economic sense. Australia,canada and now the UK doesnt have a native car, and they dont bitch about it.

 

[Kafrican]

Thats why there is a difference between the mind of a politician and an economist. 70% Kenyan car with 0.00001 marketshare that will never grow to even 1% is good for political and patriotic sentiments. 100% foreign car with 99.9999% marketshare providing hundreds of thousands of jobs to Mechanics,bodyshop repairs, paintshops etc with regular income makes economic sense. Australia,canada and now the UK doesnt have a native car, and they dont bitch about it.

You the one who have been advocating for the government not to buy mobius cars in bulk, and then you come and talking about Mobius having only 0.000001 market share... I mean, how do you expect Mobius to close that gap? We are alking about solutions here, not what is and what is not... Few facts is that people will always buy cars, there will always be mechanics to fix those cars... the question is; will the car be made here and employ some more skilled labour or will it be made somewhere else.
We have to start somewhere , we dont even have to manufature everything locally, we have Magadi soda, leather,... we can start with manufacturing car windshields, windows, leather seats, body parts, power jack, Cables for wiring....

You always complain of money wasted through coruption, So GoK buying 200 Mobius for the Ministry of agriculture or for min.of.Defence to use as patrol cars to be used within (they dint even have to leave the barracks) army barracks,will be nothing, it will be spare change, but that will keep hundreds of workers busy day and night trying to deliver that order... you should read of how US government keeps its local companies busy with stupid tenders and research grants, especially their defence department

 

[Mkikuyu- Akili timamu]

You the one who have been advocating for the government not to buy mobius cars in bulk, and then you come and talking about Mobius having only 0.000001 market share... I mean, how do you expect Mobius to close that gap? We are alking about solutions here, not what is and what is not... Few facts is that people will always buy cars, there will always be mechanics to fix those cars... the question is; will the car be made here and employ some more skilled labour or will it be made somewhere else.
We have to start somewhere , we dont even have to manufature everything locally, we have Magadi soda, leather,... we can start with manufacturing car windshields, windows, leather seats, body parts, power jack, Cables for wiring....

You always complain of money wasted through coruption, So GoK buying 200 Mobius for the Ministry of agriculture or for min.of.Defence to use as patrol cars to be used within (they dint even have to leave the barracks) army barracks,will be nothing, it will be spare change, but that will keep hundreds of workers busy day and night trying to deliver that order... you should read of how US government keeps its local companies busy with stupid tenders and research grants, especially their defence department

I have never and will never advocate for Mobius to get GoK Contracts. I have alot of respect for the Army and Police and cannot imagine them in an unsafe contraption like mobius. What I said is that they should not harp the "kenyan car" patriotic music to gain subsidies and sales contracts from kenyan taxpayers. Any patriotic kenyan knows that a secondhand Japanese car creates more employment than any mobius will ever do. The car simply has no market, will never have market and is just a hobby for the Owner, just like those hobbysists who develop kenyan helicopers/ planes. Should we now ditch boieng and spend tax money funding these hairbrains?

 

[Kafrican]

I have never and will never advocate for Mobius to get GoK Contracts. I have alot of respect for the Army and Police and cannot imagine them in an unsafe contraption like mobius. What I said is that they should not harp the "kenyan car" patriotic music to gain subsidies and sales contracts from kenyan taxpayers. Any patriotic kenyan knows that a secondhand Japanese car creates more employment than any mobius will ever do. The car simply has no market, will never have market and is just a hobby for the Owner, just like those hobbysists who develop kenyan helicopers/ planes. Should we now ditch boieng and spend tax money funding these hairbrains?

If the uissue is unsafe/untested car, then the Min.Defence or GoK should award the company a heafty research grant to develop the car to their standards... its only a few years ago Mobile phones like Techno were the laughing stock of chinese ability to manufacture phones, Techo was know as the company that makes fake phones... Some of the phones comming from china were really dangerous even, you were adviced not to talk over the phone for long or else they start emmiting radiation, some bateries leaked poisonous liquid when over charged. .. Today you walk with a techno phantom and you are chics magnet ... China today is a big boy, its time for us to take the leap. I would have loved for Mobius to be a 100% Kenyan idea, but beggers cant be choosers, lets start with what we have

 

[Mwanzi1]

Kila mtu akifikiria unavyofikiria Afrika haitawai endelea maanake sote tutasema hatuwezi tengeneza hiki Kwa sababu watu wamezoea kuimport vitu better quality from abroad.

While it is true that it'll be a mountain task to compete with international manufacturers such as Toyota, Nissan and BMW, it is also true that if we don't risk we will forever remain underdeveloped in the eyes of those developed countries you talk of. A developing country has to begin by manufacturing goods that may not be so competitive in the global market and grow slowly. Mobius may not be big now but if started now, by the time our economy grows such that most buyers are able to buy brand new cars, Mobius would be of a good quality like any other car in the world. We don't want to start planning of manufacturing our own cars when we are already at that stage and our market is already taken.

Remember at some point when south Korea and India were just beginning car manufacturing, people used to laugh at their brands (Kia, Hyundai, Ssangyong, Tata, Mahindra etc). Currently those brands are just as competitive as any other. You can't win if you don't try. When Kenya manufactured its first own car in the 1980s, it was people with your kind of thinking who made Kenya stop pursuing her dream because they found the car as not good enough to compete external manufacturers. Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if the government had continued with the dream - the Nyayo Pioneer would currently be just as good as any Toyota car and Kenya would be a step ahead. I hope Mobius doesn't give up so that we don't start regretting a few years into the future.

Mimi sijakata watu kujaribu, in fact vitu vingi duniani vilianza kwa kujaribu. Ila unapo jaribu usalama wa raia unauweka wapi? What is the most important things and sits on top of everything else in car industry? watakumbia safety. What's number thing on computer industry wataka kwamba security an so on. Mobious one ilikuwa inafanya vitu on shoestring, ukigongwa na Mobius one, una more chances za kufa kuliko ukigongwa na Toyota Corolla. Sasa pamoja na yote hayo ya kujaribu na kuthubutu, were do you put public safety. In fact insurance companies wakijuwa kama gari ina poor road safety issues watatumia hiyo kuweka insurance premium juu zaidi. Yes India Japan China wote walikuwa wanachekwa na gari zao lakini ilikuwa more of the west protecting their industry rather than product itself maana hata wao the west walikuwa wanatengeneza poor quality cars compare to today standards. India wamejaribu kuja na the cheapest car you ever buy brand new $2,000. Na wao wameshindwa kutokana na kuwa least safety features i.e fog lights. Imebidi wa redesign and now it costs $3000. Niseme tena sijakata watu kujaribu, lakini usijaribu huku ukijua usalama wa wananchi is your number one priority.

 

[Mkikuyu- Akili timamu]

If the uissue is unsafe/untested car, then the Min.Defence or GoK should award the company a heafty research grant to develop the car to their standards... its only a few years ago Mobile phones like Techno were the laughing stock of chinese ability to manufacture phones, Techo was know as the company that makes fake phones... Some of the phones comming from china were really dangerous even, you were adviced not to talk over the phone for long or else they start emmiting radiation, some bateries leaked poisonous liquid when over charged. .. Today you walk with a techno phantom and you are chics magnet ... China today is a big boy, its time for us to take the leap. I would have loved for Mobius to be a 100% Kenyan idea, but beggers cant be choosers, lets start with what we have

Ministry of Defence to use taxpayer money to fund a private car company? Waste of money..Even Techno themselves never depended on chinese defence contracts to build their business. Tesla the EV company has no defence or police contracts in the US despite being in a very high capital and R&D intensive business. These companies are grown by customers, and for a car company, if you are not targeting global demand, you are Just a Joker or a ponzi scheme angling for lucrative government tenders or heavy subsidizes while harping "patritisim"

 

[NairobiWalker]

Mimi sijakata watu kujaribu, in fact vitu vingi duniani vilianza kwa kujaribu. Ila unapo jaribu usalama wa raia unauweka wapi? What is the most important things and sits on top of everything else in car industry? watakumbia safety. What's number thing on computer industry wataka kwamba security an so on. Mobious one ilikuwa inafanya vitu on shoestring, ukigongwa na Mobius one, una more chances za kufa kuliko ukigongwa na Toyota Corolla. Sasa pamoja na yote hayo ya kujaribu na kuthubutu, were do you put public safety. In fact insurance companies wakijuwa kama gari ina poor road safety issues watatumia hiyo kuweka insurance premium juu zaidi. Yes India Japan China wote walikuwa wanachekwa na gari zao lakini ilikuwa more of the west protecting their industry rather than product itself maana hata wao the west walikuwa wanatengeneza poor quality cars compare to today standards. India wamejaribu kuja na the cheapest car you ever buy brand new $2,000. Na wao wameshindwa kutokana na kuwa least safety features i.e fog lights. Imebidi wa redesign and now it costs $3000. Niseme tena sijakata watu kujaribu, lakini usijaribu huku ukijua usalama wa wananchi is your number one priority.

Buda, hiyo kitu unavuta achana nayo. Eti safety? Lol ......alafu unasema ukigongwa na Mobius uko likely kufa kuliko Corolla? Hivi ulikua unafikiria Kwa akili ama Pua ukisema Haya?

Boss, Mobius is a big car, an SUV the size of a Land Rover Defender. Comparing it's probability to kill a victim it hit v a corolla which is a very small saloon car is just hilarious. Bring forth a more sensible comparison.

2. The safety of a vehicle is not based on its ability to kill somebody it hit but control, shock absorption, Stability, braking capability and interior protective mechanisms such us airbags. Judging a car by its capability to kill somebody it hit is just absurd - any vehicle can kill you if it hits you and the bigger it is the more gruesome the accident is likely to be. Going by your logic we should stop manufacturing buses and trailers because they're likely to kill people they hit. Lol.

3. The fact that you're okay with the Chinese and Indians starting with poor quality cars to kick-start their vehicle manufacturing industry but criticize Kenya for the same is a clear indicator that your displeasure is purely fueled by jealousy and hate and has nothing to do with facts.

 

[Mwanzi1]

You dont start manufacturing an Internal combustion engine car in 2018. Thats Just being Miopic, its like manufacturing a CRT color a Tv -1960 Tech and expecting to have any decent marketshare. . Tesla Already have a Model 3 EV that is priced at equivalent ksh 3m, that is Just twice the cost of mobius and its NHTSA approved with 500km Range per charge. China & Britain have already passed resolution to ban ICE cars in their countries by 2040.

Hapo ndio Germany wanakuna vichwa hawaijuwi la kufanya. For the past 10 year they put their minds and soul on perfecting diesel engines huku dunia inaingia kwenye other sources of energy. Na ndio swali niliwahi kuuliza humu JF lakini sikupata jibu. Kwanini all those big car manufacturing companies wakifungiwa assembly plants wanaleta old technology eg. combustor engines au manual gearboxes na sisi tunaona tumepata.we can't be a dumping continent ( kitu ambacho chinise are trying to do) hata kama we that poor.

 

[Mwanzi1]

Buda, hiyo kitu unavuta achana nayo. Eti safety? Lol ......alafu unasema ukigongwa na Mobius uko likely kufa kuliko Corolla? Hivi ulikua unafikiria Kwa akili ama Pua ukisema Haya?

Boss, Mobius is a big car, an SUV the size of a Land Rover Defender. Comparing it's probability to kill a victim it hit v a corolla which is a very small saloon car is just hilarious. Bring forth a more sensible comparison.

2. The safety of a vehicle is not based on its ability to kill somebody it hit but control, shock absorption, Stability, braking capability and interior protective mechanisms such us airbags. Judging a car by its capability to kill somebody it hit is just absurd - any vehicle can kill you if it hits you and the bigger it is the more gruesome the accident is likely to be. Going by your logic we should stop manufacturing buses and trailers because they're likely to kill people they hit. Lol.

3. The fact that you're okay with the Chinese and Indians starting with poor quality cars to kick-start their vehicle manufacturing industry but criticize Kenya for the same is a clear indicator that your displeasure is purely fueled by jealousy and hate and has nothing to do with facts.

Your luck of knowledge on car safety inaniogopesha, run over at 30mph on Mobious one with steel bumper utakuta tu ukilinganisha corrrola with soft bumper at same speed. Hivi sio rocket science, car safety has move on from likes of Mobius one or WWII US army jeep. Go and read about new VW camper van and why did couldn't keep old looks of original camper van.

Wachina na Wajapan they started with poor quality cars but in 1940's 50's 60's not in 2018. Leo hii they can't even imagine producing something which will be a killing machines. Waafrika mnakazi all this so that you can kangaroo jump into the car world. There more to learn Kabla haujafika huko.

 

[Mkikuyu- Akili timamu]

Hapo ndio Germany wanakuna vichwa hawaijuwi la kufanya. For the past 10 year they put their minds and soul on perfecting diesel engines huku dunia inaingia kwenye other sources of energy. Na ndio swali niliwahi kuuliza humu JF lakini sikupata jibu. Kwanini all those big car manufacturing companies wakifungiwa assembly plants wanaleta old technology eg. combustor engines au manual gearboxes na sisi tunaona tumepata.we can't be a dumping continent ( kitu ambacho chinise are trying to do) hata kama we that poor.

Mercedes have now comitted to do electric versions of all their models by 2025. But small startups like Tesla are now miles ahead and have build a formidable brand. This huge companies like mercedes have problems in innovation and adopting change. Just like Nokia and Blackbery who failed to embrace android. Lakini campuni kama Mobius kutarajia market share with ICE when all car manufacturers are going towards EV ni mchezo wako nayo. Hata mda si mrefu secondhand ex Japan zitakuwa Electric..already many ziko hybrid kwa sasa.

 

[NairobiWalker]

Hapo ndio Germany wanakuna vichwa hawaijuwi la kufanya. For the past 10 year they put their minds and soul on perfecting diesel engines huku dunia inaingia kwenye other sources of energy. Na ndio swali niliwahi kuuliza humu JF lakini sikupata jibu. Kwanini all those big car manufacturing companies wakifungiwa assembly plants wanaleta old technology eg. combustor engines au manual gearboxes na sisi tunaona tumepata.we can't be a dumping continent ( kitu ambacho chinise are trying to do) hata kama we that poor.

Electric cars are definitely the future but the whole world is far from embracing them fully. Starting an electric car manufacturing plant in africa now isn't really feasible - how many electric cars have you seen on Dar streets? Again, if Mobius begins now, by the time internal combustion engines become obsolete Mobius will have already smoothly interfaced into electric cars. You can't start building future cars before you learn how to build current cars.

 

[NairobiWalker]

Your luck of knowledge on car safety inaniogopesha, run over at 30mph on Mobious one with steel bumper utakuta tu ukilinganisha corrrola with soft bumper at same speed. Hivi sio rocket science, car safety has move on from likes of Mobius one or WWII US army jeep. Go and read about new VW camper van and why did couldn't keep old looks of original camper van.

Wachina na Wajapan they started with poor quality cars but in 1940's 50's 60's not in 2018. Leo hii they can't even imagine producing something which will be a killing machines. Waafrika mnakazi all this so that you can kangaroo jump into the car world. There more to learn Kabla haujafika huko.

You're the one who lacks knowledge sir. In fact I'm laughing while posting this. I already told you you can't compare Mobius safety features with Corolla - they're two different cars with different niches. Mobius is an off-road SUV, corolla is a town sedan car.

Mobius

Corolla

Now that you have decided to focus on the bumper, compare the Mobius bumper above with a landrover defender's bumper below and explain to me the difference you see on it.

See now? Now that's comparing apples to apples. I told you somebody who focuses on a car's bumper to judge its safety knows nothing about cars. The real safety measure is making the car more controllable so that it doesn't have to hit anyone in the first place.

Talking of Japan - their cars were of poor quality in comparison to cars of WWII same way the Mobius might be of poor quality in comparison to the current day defender but it'll definitely be a superior car to those WWII cars.

 

[Tony254]

Hapo ndio Germany wanakuna vichwa hawaijuwi la kufanya. For the past 10 year they put their minds and soul on perfecting diesel engines huku dunia inaingia kwenye other sources of energy. Na ndio swali niliwahi kuuliza humu JF lakini sikupata jibu. Kwanini all those big car manufacturing companies wakifungiwa assembly plants wanaleta old technology eg. combustor engines au manual gearboxes na sisi tunaona tumepata.we can't be a dumping continent ( kitu ambacho chinise are trying to do) hata kama we that poor.

Unataka tujump mara moja mpaka kwa hizi modern technologies, wewe vipi? Lazima tupitie coal na technology zingine mzee mzee ndio tufike kwa hizo technologies unazopenda. Unataka gari ya stima na hata Afrika haina stima. NB: Stima ni umeme kwa wale hawajui.

 

[Mwanzi1]

Mercedes have now comitted to do electric versions of all their models by 2025. But small startups like Tesla are now miles ahead and have build a formidable brand. This huge companies like mercedes have problems in innovation and adopting change. Just like Nokia and Blackbery who failed to embrace android. Lakini campuni kama Mobius kutarajia market share with ICE when all car manufacturers are going towards EV ni mchezo wako nayo. Hata mda si mrefu secondhand ex Japan zitakuwa Electric..already many ziko hybrid kwa sasa.

Kuna hii article nilisoma inakumpa more insight on Germany corporate culture

Why German companies fail at digital innovation

 

[Mkikuyu- Akili timamu]

Electric cars are definitely the future but the whole world is far from embracing them fully. Starting an electric car manufacturing plant in africa now isn't really feasible - how many electric cars have you seen on Dar streets? Again, if Mobius begins now, by the time internal combustion engines become obsolete Mobius will have already smoothly interfaced into electric cars. You can't start building future cars before you learn how to build current cars.

Ona engineer boya, Uganda have an Electric Car they are developing. That car has a better future that ICE mobius if they are able to quickly levarage battery technology if they partner with chinese battery makers. They can take the EAC market before any Japanese secondhand electric cars start shipping to EAC in a few years.
Only a misguided startup car company would invest R&D in a market that is shrinking knowing very well that R&D in the car industry has atleast a 10-20 year product life cycle, the same time period that EU and China officially discontinues registration of ICE Cars.

 

[Mkikuyu- Akili timamu]

Unataka tujump mara moja mpaka kwa hizi modern technologies, wewe vipi? Lazima tupitie coal na technology zingine mzee mzee ndio tufike kwa hizo technologies unazopenda. Unataka gari ya stima na hata Afrika haina stima. NB: Stima ni umeme kwa wale hawajui.

This is the kind of shortsightedness of Kenyan/Jubilee people. train ya Sgr tununue ya diesel, then next year tununue ya Umeme. Mediocrity is buying what is available to satisfy a current need instead of investing for the future in large projects such as SGR and/or Car company

 

[NairobiWalker]

Kuna hii article nilisoma inakumpa more insight on Germany corporate culture

Why German companies fail at digital innovation

Dude, we are discussing the feasibility of going on with Mobius and you're bringing us articles on German's innovation. You're definitely not on the same page with yourself.

 

[Mwanzi1]

You're the one who lacks knowledge sir. In fact I'm laughing while posting this. I already told you you can't compare Mobius safety features with Corolla - they're two different cars with different niches. Mobius is an off-road SUV, corolla is a town sedan car.

Mobius
View attachment 758914
Corolla
View attachment 758918


Now that you have decided to focus on the bumper, compare the Mobius bumper above with a landrover defender's bumper below and explain to me the difference you see on it.
View attachment 758920

See now? Now that's comparing apples to apples. I told you somebody who focuses on a car's bumper to judge its safety knows nothing about cars. The real safety measure is making the car more controllable so that it doesn't have to hit anyone in the first place.

Talking of Japan - their cars were of poor quality in comparison to cars of WWII same way the Mobius might be of poor quality in comparison to the current day defender but it'll definitely be a superior car to those WWII cars.

Haha, unahagaika sana, that land rover picha imeweka hapo is already been discontinued, ask me why, is because of European safety laws. Umeona mwenyewe chuma every everywhere.

Mimi nimekuambia Mobius one (the first car they ever made was of poor quality and law in all safety regulations). .

Sija decide to focus on bamper alone niko kwenye all sides when it comes to public safety. Mobius car came from the ideas been thrown to the wall an see which one sticks, pretty much like Land Rover story. 2018 you don't have to play with human lives like it was 1890 when aspirin was invented. Ndio maana ya regulations and standards, Mimi nimekunja nairobi many times sijaona Mobius in the city center been driven around. That tells you who ones this cars and were are they located, farms.

 

[Mwanzi1]

Dude, we are discussing the feasibility of going on with Mobius and you're bringing us articles on German's innovation. You're definitely not on the same page with yourself.

Fuatilia nilikuwa naongea nini na Mkikuyu, we talk about were is Germany engineering today. Soma kidogo bana sijakosea to add that article.

 

[NairobiWalker]

Haha, unahagaika sana, that land rover picha imeweka hapo is already been discontinued, ask me why, is because of European safety laws. Umeona mwenyewe chuma every everywhere.

Mimi nimekuambia Mobius one (the first car they ever made was of poor quality and law in all safety regulations). .View attachment 758935View attachment 758936

Sija decide to focus on bamper alone niko kwenye all sides when it comes to public safety. Mobius car came from the ideas been thrown to the wall an see which one sticks, pretty much like Land Rover story. 2018 you don't have to play with human lives like it was 1890 when aspirin was invented. Ndio maana ya regulations and standards, Mimi nimekunja nairobi many times sijaona Mobius in the city center been driven around. That tells you who ones this cars and were are they located, farms.

Car manufacturing improves with time. Of course the first Mobius can't be the best, I posted you a photo of the current Mobius and you're ignoring it showing me that of the previous. That's enough evidence that Mobius is improving with time. The 22018 model might look like the 2016 defender model but remember the Defender is a car from a well developed car industry. If we were to go with your arguments, the India should completely stop manufacturing those Tatas and mahindras and focus on agriculture - such retrogression thinking.