BasiGo will begin assembling electric buses in Kenya next month, ramping up its production of public transport vehicles as it targets to deliver 100 units by the end of next year
The startup plans to deliver 15 of the 100 buses, manufactured using parts from China's EV maker BYD automotive, in January next year. The charging infrastructure network will be expanded with an initial focus on Nairobi, where the majority of its clients are.
The plans come against the backdrop of the new $6.6 million equity funding co-led by Novastar; an Africa focused VC firm, Mobility54; the corporate venture capital arm of Toyota Tsusho, and Trucks.vc. Since its launch last year, BasiGo has raised over $10 million.
As we prepare to deliver the next batches of e-buses, we are installing the necessary charging infrastructure. All of our customers are public service vehicle operators and we are installing charging infrastructure to support their operations. BasiGo will expand its charging network beyond the city when it begins delivering to customers outside of the city, according to the company's CEO.
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BasiGo's Pay-As-You-Drive model makes it possible for bus owners to buy electric buses for the same upfront cost of a diesel one.
The operators pay a subscription fee for every kilometer, which covers the lease of the e-bus battery, charging service and general vehicle maintenance.
BasiGo electric buses have a higher return on investment than diesel buses. BasiGo has an eight-year battery warranty from the manufacturer of BYD automotive.
The buses will come in 25 and 36 seat capacities and have a range of about 250 kilometers. The buses are a cheaper and cleaner alternative to fossil- fuel buses.
The air-pollution that kills over 18,000 people every year in the country is caused by the 20,000 diesel and petrol vehicles that ferry commuters.
Over 1,000 mass transit electric buses will be supplied by BasiGo.
Most of the electricity in the country comes from renewable sources. The transport sector in the country relies on imported fuel. We can make an immediate impact on climate emissions, clean up the air in our cities, and give bus owners relief from the rising cost of diesel if we replace public transport with private vehicles. BasiGo is ready to bring the benefits of state-of-the-art electric transport to everyone in Africa.
Both BasiGo and Opibus are EV startups that are looking at mass transit. The launch of their buses follows plans by the government to roll-out Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network, to be operated by green vehicles, presenting a great business opportunity for EV players in the market.
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