BasiGo, an e-mobility start-up looking to revolutionize the public transportation sector by providing public transport bus owners with a cost-effective electric alternative has announced the delivery of 5️ new electric buses to MetroTrans Limited.
These buses will bring comfortable, clean, and safe public transport service to Nairobi’s Kikuyu and Utawala routes passengers.
MetroTrans Limited is a leader in revolutionizing public transport in Kenya. This delivery represents the largest fleet of electric buses to enter operation with a single Nairobi bus operator.
In addition to being 100% electric, MetroTrans and BasiGo are partnering to make these buses 100% cashless, bringing ease and convenience payments to passengers.
With Kenya’s 90% renewable electricity, these five electric buses will mitigate approximately 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions over their life, while reducing Kenya’s demand for imported diesel fuel by almost 100,000 Liters per year.
Over 1,000 electric buses be deployed in the country by the end of 2025.
BasiGo aims to have over 1,000 electric buses deployed in the country by the end of 2025.
Late last year, BasiGo received funds amounting to Sh804.5 million from venture capitalists in Silicon Valley to aid at the beginning of local manufacturing of electric buses and charging infrastructure.
The funds brought the total investment received by the company to Sh1.3 billion.
Globally, almost half of all buses being produced are now electric and momentum has been growing for the adoption of electric vehicles in Kenya amid calls for clean energy solutions to reverse the negative effects of climate change.
Kenya produces over 70% of its electricity from renewable energy sources such as hydro, geothermal, solar, and wind. As the world races towards sustainability and the fight against climate change, replacing a diesel bus in East Africa with an electric bus would have a greater impact than almost anywhere else in the world.
Kenya, like the rest of the world, has joined in the shift to e-mobility in the global push to reduce pollution through the use of clean-powered vehicles that will significantly cut reliance on diesel and
Partnership with Associated Vehicle Assemblers Ltd (AVA)
Earlier in the year, BasiGo, partnered with the Associated Vehicle Assemblers Ltd (AVA) to assemble its buses in the country.
The two companies aim to manufacture over 1,000 electric buses in the next 3 years, creating over 300 new manufacturing jobs and an additional 300 jobs in the ecosystem of charging, maintenance and financing.
This partnership will see the company assemble 33-seater buses as the company seeks to phase out the 25-seater buses used in the pilot project guided by feedback from Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators.
With this partnership, BasiGo, the first company to introduce electric buses into Kenya also becomes the first to assemble EVs locally. super.
The company has also announced a rundown of the current routes where you can find a BasiGo E-bus: The different routes include:
- Citi Hoppa: CBD – Allsops-Airport
- East Shuttle: City Stadium – Buruburu – Dandora
- Super Metro: CBD – Kikuyu and CBD – Kitengela
- OMA: CBD – Jogoo Road – Buruburu – Civil Servants (CIVO)
- MetroTrans: Kikuyu – CBD – Utawala
If you’d like to take a ride, you can track the buses live at this link: https://lnkd.in/dEw7cCpQ
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