A new electric safari car will aid conservation efforts in Kenya
Jan 18, 2021 • 2 min read
Sunreef Yachts built a custom electric vehicle for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust © Sunreef Yachts / MWCT
A yacht company has created an electric safari car with solar panels on the roof and have donated it to the the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT). The electric vehicle will be used by one of the lodges in Kenya that participates in conservation work with the organization. Plans are in place for future projects of a similar nature.
Created by Sunreef Yachts, a Poland-based company that specializes in creating custom catamarans, the idea evolved from a recent range of electric vessels that they created. In order to support the efforts of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, a team of engineers decided to build a special electric safari car for them. Electric vehicles have been proven to be effective in lowering emissions and are thought of as a stepping stone towards tackling climate change and greenhouse gases. It proved a fitting choice for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, which operates programmes aimed at protecting wilderness, wildlife and encouraging people to become stewards of our planet’s ecosystem.
Working for over 20 years, the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust has concentrated more specifically on efforts to protect the ecosystems and biodiversity of East Africa while also helping the local Maasai communities. The MWCT also promotes responsible tourism and education through cooperation with sustainable camps and lodges such as Campi Ya Kanzi and Chyulu Wilderness Camp.
The range of the electric car has been calculated for specific safari routes, and it will be able to cover them on a single charge. The solar panels on the roof have been added as a support and mainly to provide power for some of the systems on board.
According to the company, the vehicle will soon be on its way to Kenya, and while it is too soon to announce anything, they are discussing future collaborations in a similar vein.
“The MWCT brings a fantastic vision to life: working with the proud Maasai community to protect Kenya’s unique natural heritage and wildlife. The definition of responsible travel that the trust promotes is one of a kind and I feel Sunreef Yachts shares the same philosophy,” said Francis Lapp, Sunreef Yachts founder and president.
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