BasiGo has launched a charging station for electric buses in Buru Buru with a capacity to charge 6 electric buses simultaneously. However, it is projected to support 25 Electric Buses by year’s end.
The charging station is the first to be connected to Kenya’s new E-mobility tariff approved by EPRA in March of this year. The E-mobility tariff provides low-cost power for electric vehicle charging during night-time hours when Kenya currently has a surplus of renewable energy supply.
BasiGo now has 3 charging sites in operation in Embakasi, Kikuyu, and now BuruBuru, with capacity to charge over 20 electric buses. Located on Rabai Road, the Buruburu station will be the home base for Electric Buses operated by OMA Services and Embassava SACCO.
Jit Bhattacharya , BasiGo CEO said: “BasiGo is proud to have our Buru Buru charging station be the first connected through the new E-mobility tariff. Every Electric Bus we deploy, and charge replaces the consumption of 20,000 Litres per year of imported diesel, with the consumption of 50 MWh of clean, renewable electricity produced here in Kenya. With the new E-mobility tariff, we can invest in infrastructure like this charging station and enable the rapid growth of the electric vehicle industry in Kenya.”
George Muriithi Githinji, Chairman OMA Sacco said: “We are grateful to BasiGo for this partnership and entrusting us with 2 e-buses initially and now we are at 4. This is a transformation to our industry in terms of operations efficiency especially with the Pay as you Drive mode, cost effectiveness and environment friendliness compared to our diesel buses. The facility brings efficiency to our model of operations, because of its proximity and has helped us add additional 8-10 trips in our operations, which translates to revenue of around 22,000 per day.
By the end of 2023, BasiGo charging stations will be made open to the public to charge electric cars and trucks. BasiGo plans to deploy charging Stations like these across Nairobi and eventually across the country, to support the deployment of 1,000 Electric buses to Nairobi bus operators over the next 3 years.