E-mobility company BasiGo has secured USD 1.5M grant from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to support a pilot program in Kigali, Rwanda.
The pilot program aims to demonstrate the cost-efficiency and viability of electric buses with some of Kigali’s largest bus operators. The E-Mobility startup also announced that its first two electric buses designated for Rwanda have already arrived in East Africa and are currently in transit to Kigali.
“Rwanda is facing combined pressures from rising fuel prices and an urgent need for more public transport buses in Kigali. We believe our Pay-As-You-Drive solution will enable Kigali bus operators to rapidly scale the number of electric buses within their fleets,” said BasiGo Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder, Jit Bhattacharya.
BasiGo’s first Electric Buses will begin road testing in Kigali in November and will then enter passenger operations on some Kigali bus routes. The pilot electric buses will be operated by Kigali Bus Service, Royal Express, and Volcano. BasiGo will also provide all charging and maintenance services for the Electric Buses through their all-inclusive Pay-As-You-Drive model.
The company will also use the pilot period to refine the Electric Bus design and financing model for Rwanda’s bus operators and for investors.
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