Importing a car from China typically costs 60-80% vehicle price plus 20-40% freight, duty, VAT and clearance. A used BYD Dolphin starts around USD 9,000 FOB; ocean freight runs USD 900-2,600 per car; Kenya's duty-excise-VAT stack commonly totals 60-90% of vehicle value. A USD 14,000 FOB Changan CS75 Plus lands in Mombasa at roughly USD 27,000-29,000 all-in.
Key Facts Table
| Cost layer | Range (USD) |
|---|---|
| FOB: BYD Dolphin (used) | from 9,000 |
| FOB: BYD Atto 3 / CS75 Plus | 11,000-18,000 |
| FOB: XPeng P7 / BYD Han (used) | 16,000-28,000 |
| Container freight (2-in-1 40ft) | 900-1,600 per car |
| Container freight (20ft single) | 1,600-2,600 |
| Marine insurance | 0.5-1.2% of CIF (75-180 on 15k) |
| Kenya duty+excise+VAT | commonly 60-90% of value |
| UAE | ~5% duty + 5% VAT |
| Port, clearance, inland | 300-900 |
Worked example — CS75 Plus to Mombasa
FOB 14,000 + freight 1,300 + insurance 130 = CIF 15,430. Kenyan duty, excise and VAT add roughly USD 11,000-13,000; clearance plus inland delivery about USD 700. Total landed cost USD 27,000-29,000.
Three ways to cut cost
Consolidate two cars in one 40ft container; pick a smaller engine where excise is capacity-based; buy a unit inspected before payment so you are not shipping hidden damage.
FAQ
What is FOB vs CIF? FOB = car delivered and loaded at a Chinese port; CIF adds freight and insurance to your discharge port. Duty is assessed on CIF either way.