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Africa Electric Mobility Week is on in Nairobi, Kenya, this week from the 17th to the 22nd of September. It’s a nice time to examine on among the progress in key sectors equivalent to electrification of public transport in Kenya. One of many principal modes folks use to get round revolves round bike taxis. This sector is transferring alongside fairly properly by way of electrification. In 2023, electric motorcycle sales were close to 4% of all motorcycles sold in Kenya in 2023. Small to medium sized buses (14-seater to about 36-seater) additionally play a significant function within the Kenyan public transport sector. This sector is making substantial progress by way of electrification. The chief on this house is BasiGo.
BasiGo is an electrical automobile expertise and financing firm working to carry electrical bus companies to sub-Saharan Africa. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the corporate affords electrical buses together with charging and upkeep companies for metropolis bus operators. BasiGo additionally makes electrical buses extra inexpensive to operators by an revolutionary financing mannequin by a singular battery financing association referred to as “Pay-as-you-Drive.” BasiGo started pilot testing electrical buses in Nairobi in early 2022. It kickstarted its operations with two electrical buses at the moment. Since then, BasiGo has efficiently deployed over 30 electrical buses in Kenya and Rwanda in collaboration with a number of bus operators.
BasiGo has been utilizing BYD K6 electrical buses in addition to the regionally assembled 210kWh E9 Kubwa electrical bus — a 36-seat electrical bus tailored for the Kenyan market. Just lately, BasiGo has began utilizing Tata Extremely electrical buses. BasiGo says these 9-metre lengthy, 36-seater buses are absolutely air conditioned and supply a driving vary of over 200 km on a single cost. They’re powered by a sophisticated battery system and geared up with best-in-class options. The buses are designed to offer secure, environment friendly, and cozy intra-city commutes. BasiGo says this new batch reaffirms the corporate’s dedication in direction of making public transport in Kenya sustainable and emission-free.
Talking on the flag-off ceremony, Mr. Jit Bhattacharya, CEO of BasiGo, mentioned, “BasiGo is committed to bringing Electric Bus technology that best meets the needs of Nairobi PSV operators and passengers. We are excited to launch this pilot test of Tata’s state-of-the-art Ultra EV buses here in Nairobi, and we are looking forward to seeing their performance in real-world operation.”
Since March 2022, BasiGo has deployed 30 electrical buses with main Nairobi PSV operators together with Citi Hoppa, Tremendous Metro, Metro Trans, Embassava, Latema Travels, OMA Providers, and Kenya Bus Service. BasiGo buses have pushed over 2.2 million km and mitigated over 1,000 tonnes of CO2. BasiGo additionally not too long ago launched Kenya’s first devoted meeting line for electrical buses at Kenya Automobile Producer’s in Thika.
BasiGo plans to have over 100 buses on the highway by the tip of this yr and over 1,000 electrical buses by the tip of 2026. BasiGo additionally began operating a pilot fleet of buses in Rwanda. These encouraging outcomes from BasiGo’s operations in Kenya present some significantly good insights into the potential for electrical buses to play an important function within the public transport sector. I hope this results in extra curiosity in introducing electrical buses from extra gamers across the varied elements of the African continent.
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