BasiGo, a multi-brand vehicle assembler, and AVA have announced a partnership to assemble modern electric buses in Kenya as the country’s shift to e-mobility continues to take shape. The firms aim to manufacture over 1,000 electric buses in the next three years, creating more than 300 new manufacturing jobs and an additional 300 jobs in the ecosystem of charging, maintenance, and financing required to support electric buses in operation.
This partnership will also see the company assemble 33-seater buses as they seek to phase out the 25-seater buses used in the pilot project guided by feedback from Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators.
“We are thrilled 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 Jit Bhattacharya, CEO of BasiGo.
With this partnership, BasiGo becomes the first company to assemble electric vehicles locally. Since launching in March 2022, BasiGo’s electric buses have driven over 141,000 kilometers and carried over 185,000 passengers as part of fleet operations with two Nairobi bus operators, East Shuttle, and Citi Hoppa.