Kenyan electric mobility firm, BasiGo, appears to be expanding its presence and operations across the country after announcing the launch of its first pilot program for electric matatus on inter-city routes.
The program is a huge milestone in the company‘s long-term goal of expanding clean, zero-carbon public transport beyond Nairobi and into regional routes.
BasiGo has partnered with two major public transport saccos, 4NTE and Manchester Travellers Coach, well known for their long-distance pilot programs.
With this new EV fleet, 4NTE SACCO will pilot on the Nyahururu–Nyeri and Nyahururu–Nakuru routes, while Manchester SACCO will operate on the Thika–Nairobi corridor.
According to the company, every van has a range of up to 300km on a single charge and a charging time of 1.5hours. The EV supplier has also installed charging stations in Nyahururu and Thika to support seamless inter-city operations.
The vans will be available to acquire through the Pay-As-You-Drive lease model from BasiGo, to help lower the expenses incurred by operators looking to have an electric fleet.
“We are delighted to extend electric mobility beyond Nairobi and electrifying an iconic part of Kenya’s history- the matatu,” said Moses Nderitu, the Managing Director, Kenya at BasiGo.
“By partnering with visionary SACCOs like 4NTE and Manchester, we’re showing that electric mobility is not only possible but practical for intercity and inter-county transit.”
Wilfred Daniel Kimotho, Chairman of 4NTE Sacco, added, “We are excited to be early adopters of this technology, especially along inter-city and inter-county routes. This is about embracing innovation and delivering better service to our customers. This partnership places us at the forefront of a transport revolution which is electric, efficient, and built for the future.”
The program is part of BasiGo’s bigger plan to have over 1000 electric vans across Kenya in the next few years. It’s also a welcome move to support the country’s commitment towards green energy.
