The first electric buses are expected to arrive in Rwanda in October 2023 for pilot testing with Kigali transport operators. The partnership will make electric buses affordable and accessible to Rwandan bus operating companies 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.
Kenya-based electric bus pioneer, BasiGo, has made a second entry into the African market with the launch of BasiGo Rwanda Ltd., a new entity focused on electrifying the public transport system in Rwanda.
According to a July 27 statement, BasiGo, an e-mobility company bringing the future of clean, electric public transport to sub-Saharan Africa, partnered with AC Mobility, Rwanda's leading provider of automated fare collection systems for public transport.
As noted, the partnership will deliver electric buses to Kigali transport operators by October of this year through BasiGo's innovative Pay-As-You-Drive financing model. BasiGo and AC Mobility have signed letters of intent for the pilot with a number of the leading bus operators.
BasiGo Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder Jit Bhattacharya speaking on the expansion said: "Rwanda has led the way in creating an enabling ecosystem for E-mobility. BasiGo is proud to be partnering with AC Mobility, a technology leader in Rwanda's transport sector, to help accelerate the transition to electrified public transport. Electric buses will bring bus operators freedom from rising fuel prices while also dramatically reducing air pollution and CO2 emissions.
"Through our Pay-As-You-Drive model, we are excited to bring a complete E-Bus solution to make this technology affordable, accessible, and convenient for all bus operators in Rwanda."
Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, the company offers state-of-the-art electric buses along with charging and maintenance services for public service bus operators. BasiGo makes electric buses affordable to operators through an innovative financing model called "Pay-As-You-Drive". It is the first company to pilot test electric buses in Kenya and currently supports a fleet of 19 Electric Buses operating with public transport providers in Nairobi. To learn more, visit www.basi-go.com
On her part, Clare Akamanzi, Chief Executive Officer, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) said:
"In line with RDB's mandate to fast-track private-sector economic development in Rwanda, we welcome the BasiGo - AC Mobility partnership to bring electric bus technology to Kigali bus operators as a cost-effective and sustainable alternative to diesel buses. This partnership of public transport technology providers in the region will accelerate decarbonization of the sector in Rwanda while also alleviating the current public transport shortage. RDB is intentional in its support towards this investment and growing a thriving market for electric mobility solutions in Rwanda."
Speaking on the partnership, Jones Kizihira, the Chief Executive Officer of AC Mobility Rwanda, said: "We are excited to partner with BasiGo to drive Rwanda's public bus electrification. The country 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."
The government of Rwanda recently announced an initiative to rapidly scale the size of Kigali's public transport fleet while also aiming to convert 20% of the public bus fleet to electric by 2030.
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Founded in 2021, BasiGo has led the introduction of electric buses in Nairobi's public transport fleet. BasiGo 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.
BasiGo 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. Through this financing model, BasiGo and AC Mobility aim to deliver 200 electric buses to bus operators in Rwanda by the end of 2024.
AC Mobility Rwanda is a leading provider of smart and interactive transport solutions in African cities, bringing efficient cashless payment systems to the mostly informal cash-based public transport system in emerging African cities.
