BasiGo eyes 200 electric buses deal for Rwanda’s green future
Electric bus pioneer BasiGo has partnered with AC Mobility, a Rwanda-based firm that offers automated fare collection systems for public transport to start delivering electric buses to Kigali transport operators by October this year.
The purchase of the electric buses will be through BasiGo’s Pay-As-You-Drive financing model. Through this financing model, BasiGo and AC Mobility aim to deliver 200 electric buses to bus operators in Rwanda by the end of 2024.
BasiGo and AC Mobility have signed letters of intent for the pilot with Kigali Bus Service, Royal Express, and Volcano Express, three of Kigali’s leading bus operators.
BasiGo CEO and Co-founder Jit Bhattacharya said: “Rwanda has led the way in creating an enabling ecosystem for E-mobility. Electric buses will bring bus operators freedom from rising fuel prices while also dramatically reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions.”
Read also: BasiGo expands fleet with 15 new electric buses
BasiGo to ease cost burden
Speaking on the partnership, Jones Kizihira, CEO, AC Mobility Rwanda said: “ The country (Rwanda) has recorded rapid transformation, creating a need for a more robust and cost-effective public transport system. The electric buses will help ease the cost burden of public bus transporters and advance Rwanda’s transition to clean mobility. We look forward to leveraging BasiGo’s experience and network to build a strong electric bus business in Rwanda.”
Rwanda recently announced an initiative to rapidly scale the size of Kigali’s public transport fleet while also aiming to convert 20 percent of the public bus fleet to electric by 2030.
Founded in 2021, BasiGo has led the introduction of electric buses in Nairobi’s public transport fleet. The firm has sold 19 electric buses to public transport operators in Nairobi and has secured reservations for over 100 additional buses.
BasiGo electric buses have driven over 460,000 kilometers and carried over 580,000 passengers. BasiGo has also deployed Kenya’s first DC Fast Charging stations for Electric buses.
The company offers electric buses to private bus operators through a mileage-based leasing model called Pay-As-You-Drive, which makes electric buses affordable for private bus operators to purchase and use.
