Car & General introduces Piaggio LPG three-wheeler to cut costs and emissions
Vincent Were, the national chairman of the tuk tuk association (left) Tobias Alando, the CEO of Kenya Association of Manufacturers and Vijay Gidooma, the Group CEO of Car & General during the launch of the Piaggio LPG three wheelers at the Company's showroom.
By MKT Reporter
The Piaggio Ape NXT+ LPG promises fuel savings of over 30 per cent, offering Kenya’s last-mile operators a cleaner and more profitable ride.
For the hundreds of thousands of three-wheeler operators navigating Kenya’s congested urban corridors, every shilling saved on fuel is a shilling closer to viability. Car & General is betting that a new LPG-powered vehicle can deliver those savings at scale — and clean the air in the process.
The company officially launched the Piaggio Ape NXT+ LPG in Nairobi last week, marking the latest chapter in a mobility strategy that has seen Car & General steadily pivot towards greener, more cost-efficient transport solutions. The event was officiated by Vijay Gidoomal, Chief Executive Officer of Car & General, and Tobias Alando, Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers — a pairing that signalled the launch was as much about industrial policy as it was about a new vehicle.
At the heart of the Piaggio Ape NXT+ LPG’s pitch is a straightforward economic proposition. Running on liquefied petroleum gas, the vehicle delivers fuel savings of more than 30 per cent compared with conventional petrol-powered three-wheelers. For operators already absorbing the cumulative pressure of rising fuel prices, erratic demand and thin margins, that figure carries considerable weight.
“This new LPG three-wheeler is designed to put more money into the pockets of our operators,” Gidoomal said at the launch. “With fuel savings of over 30 per cent, operators can significantly lower their running costs and ultimately increase their daily earnings, making their businesses more sustainable.”
The numbers behind the vehicle add texture to that claim. The Ape NXT+ LPG is fitted with a 20.6-litre LPG tank complemented by a 2.8-litre petrol reserve, offering operators a degree of fuel flexibility that reduces range anxiety. The engine produces a maximum power output of 11.3 horsepower and is capable of handling gradients of up to 30 per cent — a specification that matters in a city like Nairobi, where hilly terrain is a daily operational reality.
Beyond the performance credentials, the vehicle has been designed with driver comfort and urban sensibility in mind. A redesigned front fascia, an integrated music system and expanded passenger space distinguish it from older three-wheeler generations. Equally significant is the engine’s notably quieter operation — a feature that benefits not only the driver but the densely populated neighbourhoods these vehicles pass through daily.
The environmental dimension of the launch was not incidental. LPG combustion produces substantially fewer harmful pollutants than petrol, and with urban air quality in Nairobi deteriorating under the weight of an expanding vehicle fleet, the case for cleaner last-mile transport has never been more pressing.
Alando framed the transition in broader terms. “Transitioning to LPG is an important step towards cleaner urban mobility,” he said. “This technology reduces harmful emissions while also offering a quieter ride, which improves both the operator’s experience and the urban environment.”
There are, however, infrastructural realities to reckon with. LPG fuelling stations remain limited across Nairobi, a constraint that could temper adoption in the short term. Industry stakeholders acknowledge the gap but remain optimistic that growing demand for LPG-powered vehicles will drive a corresponding expansion in fuelling infrastructure. The petrol reserve tank offers a practical buffer in the interim.
The launch carries symbolic weight beyond the vehicle itself. Car & General marks its 90th year in business in 2025, with more than two decades of that history bound up in its partnership with Piaggio. The company introduced the Piaggio electric three-wheeler to the Kenyan market in 2024, and the LPG model represents a further step along the same green mobility trajectory — one calibrated for operators who may not yet be ready for full electrification but are prepared to move away from petrol dependence.
“We are committed to bringing practical, forward-looking mobility solutions to the market,” Gidoomal said. “The Piaggio Ape NXT+ LPG is a clear demonstration of how innovation can deliver both economic and environmental value.”
Kenya’s last-mile transport sector has long been defined by improvisation and resilience. If the infrastructure catches up with the ambition, the Piaggio Ape NXT+ LPG could offer something that has eluded operators for years: a vehicle that pays for itself while doing less damage to the city around it.
In the race between cost and conscience, this one may not force operators to choose.
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