Public Transport Operators Are Increasingly Reserving Electric Buses From BasiGo
BasiGo says reservations for electric buses are rising as operators across Kenya and Rwanda wait for additional vehicle deliveries.
Demand for electric buses in Kenya and Rwanda is growing faster than current deployment capacity as transport operators continue placing orders ahead of new vehicle deliveries.
Electric mobility company BasiGo says it has received more than 1,200 reservations for buses and electric vans while 136 vehicles are currently operating across the two countries. Of those deployed units, 102 are running in Kenya and 34 are in Rwanda.
The gap between confirmed reservations and active vehicles is beginning to shape the next phase of the company’s expansion. Operators are now waiting for additional units as assembly and rollout plans continue to scale.
BasiGo says new vehicles under assembly in Mombasa are expected to support additional deployments over the coming months. The company has already expanded operations across commuter routes in Nairobi as well as intercity routes linked to towns such as Nyahururu, Nakuru and Nyeri.
The reservations include demand from city bus operators, matatu SACCOs and Rwanda-based transport operators.
Doreen Orishaba, BasiGo’s Chief Product Officer, said operators are already preparing for additional deliveries.
“Operators are waiting,” she said during an exclusive interview while discussing upcoming deployments tied to newly assembled units.
The increase in reservations reflects growing interest from public transport operators seeking alternatives to diesel-powered fleets as fuel and operating costs continue putting pressure on the sector.
BasiGo currently uses multiple operating structures depending on the client. Some operators lease full vehicles, while others purchase buses separately from the battery system under battery leasing arrangements. The company also sells buses directly under separate charging and maintenance agreements.
The broader rollout has moved beyond small demonstration projects concentrated in Nairobi. Electric buses are now operating across multiple commuter corridors and regional routes in both Kenya and Rwanda.
In Rwanda, deployments include city and intercity operations connecting provinces including Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western regions. The company says vehicle specifications vary depending on market requirements, passenger capacity and route conditions.
The pace of reservations suggests operators are making longer-term decisions around fleet replacement even as electric buses still account for a small share of the region’s overall public transport market.
Assembly timelines are becoming increasingly important as companies supplying electric buses attempt to meet demand from operators seeking additional vehicles for existing and planned routes.
BasiGo says further deployments are expected as more units leave assembly and enter service later this year.
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