Kenyan electricity bus manufacturer BasiGo expands to Rwanda

BasiGo, a Kenyan electric bus maker, plans to enter the Rwandan market in the fourth quarter of this year.

The startup has announced plans to deliver its first unit to Rwandan public transportation providers.

Jit Bhattacharya, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of BasiGo, stated that the agreement will see the buses distributed to public transportation operators using BasiGo’s novel Pay-As-You-Drive finance model.

With the growth, Rwanda becomes the company’s second market after Kenya.

AC Mobility, the country’s biggest producer of automated fare collection systems for public transportation, has also announced a cooperation with the company.

Electric buses, according to Bhattacharya, will relieve bus operators from rising fuel prices while simultaneously drastically lowering air pollution and CO2 emissions.

We are thrilled to provide a complete E-Bus solution to Rwanda through the Pay-As-You-Drive model, making this technology inexpensive, accessible, and easy for all bus operators,” he added.

BasiGo and AC Mobility have signed letters of intent for the pilot with three of Kigali’s top bus operators, Kigali Bus Service, Royal Express, and Volcano Express.

“We are thrilled to be working with BasiGo to accelerate Rwanda’s public bus electrification.” The country has undergone a tremendous transformation, necessitating the development of a more strong and cost-effective public transportation system. The electric buses will assist public bus transporters save costs while also advancing Rwanda’s move to clean mobility. “We look forward to leveraging BasiGo’s experience and network to build a strong electric bus business in Rwanda,” said Jones Kizihira, CEO of AC Mobility Rwanda.

The e-mobility startup intends to transform public transportation by offering public transit bus operators a cost-effective electric alternative to fuel.

According to the African Electric bus market size and share analysis- growth trends and predictions study 2023 – 2028, Urban transit buses account for around 25% of overall transportation sector emissions, and public transportation preference is predicted to increase by nearly 50% by 2030. This will result in an additional 26,000 tons of CO2. According to the survey, battery electric buses are likely to lead the market due to local government attempts to cut emissions and the operational costs of public transportation.

BasiGo, which was founded in 2021, has sold 19 electric buses to Nairobi public transportation companies and has obtained reservations for approximately 100 additional buses. According to the company, its buses have traveled over 460,000 kilometers and carried over 580,000 people.

BasiGo and AC Mobility hope to deliver 200 electric buses to Rwandan bus operators by the end of next year using the financing arrangement.

The Rwandan government intends to reduce the size of Kigali’s public transportation fleet while also intending to convert 20% of the bus fleet to electric by 2030.

It has struck an agreement for the provision of approximately 200 electric buses in Kigali with Vivo Energy and the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB).