BasiGo, an e-mobility startup based in Kenya, and AVA, a multi-brand vehicle assembler, have just announced that they will be working together to develop cutting-edge electric buses for the Kenyan market.
Over the course of the next three years, the companies hope to produce more than a thousand electric buses.
As a result of this initiative, more than 300 new manufacturing jobs will be created, and another 300 jobs will be created in the infrastructure required to charge, maintain, and finance electric buses in order to keep them on the road.
Using the information obtained from those who operate Public Service Vehicles (PSVs), the partnership’s other objective is to eventually switch out the 25-seater buses that were employed in the pilot project for 33-seater buses.
Read also: BasiGo to deliver locally made Electric Buses in Kenya
Mobility54 Kenyan Start-up Funding
Just recently, the Kenyan startup secured $6.6 Million in a new funding round led By Mobility54 to begin the commercial delivery of locally manufactured electric buses and charging infrastructure through the company’s one-of-a-kind Pay-As-You-Drive financing model. Mobility54 is the company that led the funding round.
This relationship, according to Moses Nderitu, Chief Revenue Officer for BasiGo, is crucial for BasiGo to scale up in order to become the first company in the region to construct electric vehicles domestically. This will be yet another first for BasiGo, which was a pioneer in the usage of electric buses in Kenya and will achieve it as a result of this progress.
Additionally, Jit Bhattacharya, CEO of BasiGo, offered his thoughts on the relationship, stating that
The company BasiGo is dedicated to providing electric buses that are produced entirely within the borders of Kenya. We are overjoyed to announce that we will be forming a partnership with AVA, the most successful commercial vehicle manufacturer in the country. AVA has a wealth of experience in domestic assembly and has done so for a number of years. We are certain that the formation of this alliance would catapult Kenya to the forefront of the global market for the production of cutting-edge electric vehicles.
Since its launch in March 2022, BasiGo’s electric buses have reportedly travelled more than 141,000 kilometers and carried more than 185,000 passengers as a part of fleet operations with two bus operators in Nairobi: East Shuttle and Citi Hoppa. This is all thanks to the company’s partnership with these two companies.
This came about after the company had received $6.6 million (Sh804.5 million) a few months earlier, with Toyota serving as the round’s primary investor. On the other hand, it is believed that the investment will expedite the efforts that BasiGo is making to construct electric buses for public transit networks in Kenya and throughout Africa.
About BasiGo
E-mobility start-up BasiGo aims to usher in a new era of innovation within the public transportation industry by making available to the owners of public transportation buses an electric option that is more affordable than diesel.
Our team is strategically made up of seasoned entrepreneurs who have spent over a decade working and innovating in the fields of electric vehicle technology, mobility in Africa, and financing for renewable energy. Our headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya, and we have a team that spans the continent. We are a group of people committed to bringing about a mobility revolution in Africa that is both inclusive and sustainable.
A little On AVA
The Simba Corporation owns AVA, which is the market leader in multi-brand vehicle assembly in the East African region. AVA also assembles luxury vehicles.
At this time, we assemble 43 percent of all automobiles that are built in Kenya. We manufacture a diverse selection of vehicle models, including everything from pickup trucks and other commercial vehicles to golf carts and tuk-tuks.