On March 9, 2022, BasiGo, an e-mobility start-up headquartered in Nairobi, flagged off the first electric buses in the country for passenger use. The event was attended by the Permanent Secretary in the State Department of Transport, Dr. Eng. Joseph K. Njoroge, CBS, and representatives from BasiGo's pilot partners, Citi Hoppa and East Shuttle.
BYD Automotive and Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) also attended the event, as they are BasiGo's key strategic partners in the deployment of electric buses and charging infrastructure. BYD and KPLC will play a crucial role in the success of the pilot program.
“Today marks an important step towards a cleaner and brighter future for public transit in Kenya. We are thrilled to be partnering with two pioneering PSV operators; Citi Hoppa and East Shuttle, to give Kenyans their first chance to ride in an electric bus,” said Jit Bhattacharya, CEO, and Co-Founder at BasiGo.
Dr. Eng. Joseph K. Njoroge, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, also attended the event. He emphasized the government's commitment to launching the BRT system in Nairobi and using electric buses to ease traffic and build a sustainable transport sector.
Eng. Rosemary Oduor, CEO and Acting Managing Director of KPLC, pledged to work with BasiGo in developing the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. She emphasized the company's readiness to support the electrification of transportation and mitigate the effects of climate change.
The electric buses arrived in the country in December 2021 and have undergone extensive validation and reliability testing in preparation for the pilot launch. The buses will now go into operation as standard PSVs with Citi Hoppa and East Shuttle.
“Customer comfort and safety are the DNA of the Citi Hoppa brand, and we are excited to pilot test this new electric bus technology,” said Githaiga Weru, Operations Directors, Citi Hoppa.
John Moses Kamau, Director of Finance at East Shuttle, also expressed his enthusiasm for the electric buses, citing their ease of operation and better experience for passengers.
BasiGo also announced that they are now taking reservations for the first production units of the K6 Electric Bus. The K6 is a 25-seat, 250 km range electric bus that recharges in less than 4 hours. The K6 is designed by BYD Automotive and will be available for purchase through BasiGo's unique Pay-As-You-Drive battery financing program.
