BasiGo has undoubtedly been on a sprint to Green the city of Nairobi. Currently has over 20 fully electric buses plying the Nairobi city. They have partnered with Citi Hoppa with their e-buses plying CBD_Allsops – Airport route, East Shuttle plying City Stadium – Buruburu – Dandora route, Super Metro plying CBD – Kikuyu route, OMA plying CBD -Civil Servants (CIVO), and now MetroTrans plying CBD – Kikuyu – Utawala route. On May 11th, the two companies unveiled 5 new fully electric buses that would be plying the CBD – Kikuyu – Utawala route, a step towards BasiGo’s vision of electrifying the transport sector and cutting down costs for end users of public transport while keeping the environment green.
With the world transitioning to cashless business interactions, BasiGo and Metrotrans were not left behind in the wave. The companies divulged that in addition to the buses being 100% emission-free, they would be 100% cashless as well. This is to enable the city dwellers who have proven to almost entirely depend on mobile money transactions to use their services without the further inconvenience and the push and pulls most Matatu users encounter with some cunning conductors.
Given the track record that has been set by BasiGo in collaboration with several transport companies. The quality of service has undeniably gone up. Some people even opt to queue up and wait for these specific buses, thanks to their cleanliness and orderliness, unlike the conventional Matatu hassle and bustle. An honorable mention would go to SuperMetro who as we might all be aware have made significant strides in their fleet management and customer service and we could only hope that it gets better for the whole transport sector.
As can be seen on the BasiGo website, the company has had a great impact on the transport sector. With their E-Buses having cruised over 250,000 km worth of commutes and avoided burning over 47,000 liters of diesel it suffices to say that it is only a matter of time before they fully revolutionize the urban transport sector, and not just in Nairobi but also in the other cities and relatively bigger towns in Kenya and hopefully, Africa at large.
The bus of choice for the unveiling is the K6 E-Bus. The K6 is an electric bus that can accommodate up to 25 passengers, developed by BYD Automotive, a renowned manufacturer of electric buses worldwide. With a range of 250 kilometers and a recharge time of fewer than 4 hours, the K6 introduces a new era of bus operations in Kenya, eliminating the need for diesel fuel, enhancing dependability, providing a superior travel experience for passengers, and offering comprehensive monitoring – all at a reasonable total cost.
In addition to these, the K6 electric buses provide comfort for the passengers with a noiseless drive, the cabin is equipped with technology that includes USB charging ports, complimentary WiFi access, a 27-inch television, six high-fidelity speakers, passenger bell switches, real-time tracking via the BasiGo website, and most importantly for everyone, ZERO EMISSIONS.
For a nation that struggled with the move from manual transmission cars to automatics, from conventional internal combustion engines to Hybrid/Plug-In hybrid cars and Electric cars. It is showing quite the promise with e-mobility. In as much as there is resistance, we certainly are walking the walk towards E-Mobility and a greener environment.
This transition to e-mobility represents a significant step forward for our society’s sustainable development, not only in terms of reducing carbon emissions and combating climate change but also in improving the air quality in urban areas. Despite the initial challenges, the increasing popularity of electric cars and the infrastructure to support them demonstrate our commitment to building a more sustainable future. As we continue to develop and innovate in this field, we can expect to see even more progress in the years ahead, paving the way for a cleaner, healthier planet for generations to come.
Automotive content writer and self-teaching auto-mechanic.
I will mainly discuss and banter about cars.
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