BasiGo expands fleet with 15 new electric buses
Kenya’s green energy transition is in high gear after a freight vessel christened ‘MV Morning Christina’ docked at the Port of Mombasa to deliver a consignment of 15 electric buses for clean-energy public transport start-up BasoGo.
“The buses were shipped by BYD Automotive; the largest manufacturer of electric vehicles in the world, following a successful trial of two pilot buses which are currently operational in Nairobi,” said the Kenya Ports Authority via Twitter.
BasiGo’s Chief Executive Officer Jit Bhattacharya lauded his organisation’s leading role in pioneering the electrification of Kenya’s transport sector, adding that the latest arrivals will get into operations swiftly.
“These new 15 buses will soon be plying routes across Nairobi, giving residents of Nairobi access to safe, comfortable, and clean public transport for their daily commute,” he said.
Speaking at the Port of Mombasa while receiving the vehicles, the start-up’s chief revenue officer Moses Nderitu said the company is building capacity to locally assemble new deliveries starting next year.
“Starting next year, all electric buses that BasiGo delivers to customers will be locally assembled here in Kenya. There is some localization happening including interior, telematics going into the bus so that we start building local capacity in assembling electric buses in Kenya,” he said.
Read also: BasiGo nets Sh800 million fresh capital to assemble electric buses in Kenya
Mr Nderitu was referring to a mid-November development where Basi-Go secured US$6.6 million (about Kes804 million) in funding to accelerate commercial delivery of electric business in the country.
BasiGo has adopted a Pay-As-You-Drive financing model that sees owners purchase an electric bus for a similar upfront cost to a diesel bus.
At the moment, BasiGo says it has received over 100 reservations from customers. The company recently struck a partnership with lenders KCB and Family Bank to advance up to 90 percent financing for the purchase of electric buses.
