BasiGo and its fleet of electric buses

BasiGo, a Kenyan startup founded in 2021, aims to replace thousands of diesel buses in sub-Saharan Africa with electric ones to significantly reduce harmful emissions. The company operates on a pay-as-you-drive business model, making electric vehicles more accessible for operators. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenya briefly suspended public transportation in 2020, leading to a dramatic improvement in air quality. This moment inspired BasiGo's founders to envision a cleaner future for public transport.

Currently, BasiGo manages a fleet of over 100 electric buses leased to various customers across Kenya and Rwanda, who have collectively transported 15 million passengers since the company's inception. BasiGo does not manufacture its buses; instead, they are assembled in Kenya from Chinese vehicles and provided by CATL, the world's largest EV battery company which has authorized BasiGo as a service provider in sub-Saharan Africa.

The company's business model differs from traditional bus providers by leasing electric buses, offering maintenance and insurance services, and managing a charging network for customers. BasiGo's customers are typically individual bus operators or cooperative groups, with more than 300 active in Kenya. By leasing buses, the company aims to lower the financial barrier for private operators to transition to electric vehicles.

Though electric buses have a higher initial cost than traditional diesel models, they offer long-term savings through reduced fuel expenses. BasiGo's model enables operators to achieve a return on investment that is 5-10 times higher than using diesel buses, thanks to lower operating costs and cleaner energy sources. By replacing a single diesel bus with an electric one in Kenya, BasiGo estimates the avoidance of 50 tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually.

Furthermore, BasiGo buses run on domestically generated renewable energy, with 90% of Kenya's energy mix comprising renewables, which helps maintain local economic benefits. Switching to electric vehicles also has potential health benefits, including reduced childhood asthma cases due to decreased particulate matter in the air.

Despite these advantages, BasiGo faces challenges in local assembly and infrastructure development. The company must invest considerable resources in training personnel for bus assembly, repair, and maintenance across all its operating locations. Additionally, securing land for charging depots, which require proximity to bus routes and power lines, is both expensive and complex.

Looking ahead, BasiGo has already deployed over 150 buses and has a waiting list of 1,200 potential customers seeking electric vehicles. The company is expanding its services to intercity coach transportation and has plans to target the trucking industry, but specific details about future expansion have not yet been announced.