Electric buses are set to be assembled locally as Kenya's e-mobility continues to take shape.
This follows an announcement of a partnership between BasiGo and multi-brand vehicle assembler AVA that aims to manufacture over 1,000 electric buses in the next three years.
The partnership also aims to create over 300 new manufacturing jobs and an additional 300 jobs in the charging, maintenance, and financing ecosystem required to support electric buses in operation.
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Further, the partnership will see the company assemble 33-seater buses as the company seeks to phase out the 25-seater buses used in the pilot project guided by feedback from Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators.
BasiGo Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bhattacharya said that the pwouldership would see the company become the first to assemble electric vehicles locally.
"We are elated to be partnering with AVA and are confident that this partnership will put Kenya on the map as a leader in the manufacturing of modern electric vehicles," said the CEO.
Since launching in March 2022, BasiGo's electric buses have driven over kilometreslometers and carried over 185,000 passengers as part of fleet operations with two Nairobi bus o,perators East Shuttle and Citi Hoppa.
This comes just a week after the cunveiledling of 15 additional electric buses in Nairobi.
The ebus startup announceduncement on Linkedin that the soon-to-be-unveiled buses will be serving different routes.
"Kenya, are we ready? 15 electric buses will be coming to our roads soon. Look out for these state-of-the-art electric buses on your route," the company said.
Like other countries worldwide, Kenya is grappling with erratic weather patterns occasioned by short rainy seasons and extended dry periods, affecting its agricultural sector, which is the backbone of.the economy
