Kenya just made history, BasiGo has unveiled the nation’s first electric matatu pilot for intercity routes, promising a new era of travel that slashes emissions while making public transport cleaner and more reliable.
BasiGo stepped outside Nairobi’s city limits on Tuesday, staking a bold claim as the leader in Kenya’s electric mobility revolution.
“This launch represents more than just innovation — it’s a leap toward climate-conscious mobility for millions of Kenyans,” announced Moses Nderitu, Managing Director of BasiGo Kenya.
Electric matatu pilot connects Kenya’s city hubs
The BasiGo electric matatu pilot means travellers can now hop between key towns like Nyahururu, Nyeri, Nakuru, Thika, and Nairobi without burning diesel. Local transport groups 4NTE SACCO and Manchester Travellers Coach SACCO are at the forefront, operating the 16- and 19-seater electric vans and charging up at new stations in Nyahururu and Thika.
Each electric matatu offers up to 300 km of range and a rapid recharge time of just 1.5 hours, which is plenty of power for an intercity commute.
“We’re proud to be pioneers in adopting electric transport for intercity travel,” said 4NTE SACCO Chairman Wilfred Daniel Kimotho. “This is about delivering better service while protecting our environment”.
BasiGo’s model makes electric matatus affordable
Here’s the good part: operators don’t need to buy these new matatus upfront. Through BasiGo’s Pay-As-You-Drive lease model, SACCOs pay as they operate while enjoying full after-sales support with maintenance included. This move tackles one of the biggest hurdles to electric mobility costs, making it possible for more operators to join the shift to clean transit.
Not only does this pilot cut pollution, but BasiGo is also planning to assemble electric vehicles locally, sparking new green jobs and supporting Kenya’s climate action targets under the Paris Agreement. With an ambitious goal to put over 1,000 electric matatus on Kenyan roads, BasiGo is placing the country at the heart of Africa’s clean transit movement.
Kenya’s public transit sector is driving electric vehicle adoption, challenging the idea that only private motorists go electric first. As public transport leapfrogs into a cleaner future, BasiGo’s electric matatu pilot is turning Kenya’s electric mobility promise into a reality.
