Embassava Sacco, a popular Nairobi matatu operator on Friday, May 19, received 4 new electric vehicles. The electric buses were delivered by electric mobility startup BasiGo, which has been ramping up its operations in the capital by partnering up with leading matatu operators in the city.

Embassava’s new electric buses will ply the CBD-  Jacaranda Estate and CBD – Nyayo Estate routes.

“Passengers on these routes will now get to enjoy a modern, comfortable, and clean travel experience with the convenience of cashless payments,” BasiGo shared. In February, BasiGo delivered a 25-seater electric bus to Super Metro to ply the CBD to Kikuyu and CBD to Kitengela routes.

Metrotrans Ltd, another leading public transport operator in Nairobi, also announced in May the addition of 5 electric buses from BasiGo to its fleet, highlighting the startup’s aggressive expansion plans.

To lower the upfront cost of acquiring the electric buses, Basi Go also offers a subscription service charging matatu operators a daily fee based on kilometres covered.

“Pay-as-You-Drive allows owners to purchase the K6 Electric bus without having to pay for the expensive battery technology. This makes the upfront cost similar to a traditional diesel bus,” the company explained.

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“Owners can then access our unique Pay-As-You-Drive battery subscription service which covers everything related to the battery including charging, warranty, service and maintenance. Operators are charged daily based on kilometers driven, and operators make payments directly to BasiGo.”

According to the startup, BasiGo’s electric buses have driven over 244,536 kilometers and carried over 291,000 passengers as part of fleet operations with 4 Nairobi bus operators since launching in Kenya in March 2022.

It aims to supply over 1,000 mass transit electric buses to transport operators in Kenya over the next three years.

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