More electric buses are on their way to African roads

Hundreds more electric buses are expected to hit African roads by the end of the year, as many countries begin to phase out internal combustion engine public transportation vehicles.

 
Egypt, the host country, plans to roll out 70 electric buses at a cost of $17 million on the eve of the 27th United Nations Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (COP27).
 
In July, the North African country's minister of state for military production and the ministry of local development inked a joint deal for the purchase of the 'Setibus' buses.
 
According to Modor Intelligence, the growing number of start-ups and international automobile manufacturers in the young sector has aided African countries. "E-buses are becoming an economically feasible answer for public transportation, albeit they are still more expensive than diesel buses, and they have zero exhaust emissions," it stated in its Africa Electric Bus Market study.
 
Following a four-month experiment, Kenyan company BasiGo has announced intentions to launch 20 electric buses by the end of 2022, growing to 100 the following year and 1,000 by 2025.
 
"They've ran 50,000 kilometres in all. We have demonstrated that the notion can function and endure in Kenya and Nairobi for the time being. Our goal of having 1,000 buses operational in Kenya by 2025 is attainable. What we need is electricity, which is readily accessible," said Samuel Kamunya, BasiGo's head of business development.
 
Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) began erecting charge stations in June to fuel the electric batteries of at least 50,000 buses and two million motorcycles.
 
"E-mobility, like many other countries, is the quickest method for Kenya to achieve its energy transition. It is also a critical component in lowering pollution by encouraging the use of cars that reduce reliance on diesel and gasoline," said KenGen's managing director, Rebecca Miano.
 
According to Kamunya, one of the main reasons why electric vehicles make sense in Kenya is because more than 90% of the power generated in Kenya is renewable or from clean sources.
 
Kenya now has two active electric bus start-ups: BasiGo, which locally assembles buses manufactured by the Chinese business Build Your Dreams (BYD) Auto, and Roam, a Swedish-Kenyan electric vehicle start-up (formerly Opibus).
 
Roam was the first firm to put its electric buses on the road, with a test programme that began in January and a commercial rollout planned for mid-year. In the second half of 2022, 10 buses will be commercially deployed to test the platform at scale, according to a statement from Dennis Wakaba, the public transportation project coordinator for Roam.
 
Rheinmetall, a German-based automotive and weaponry producer, has begun phasing out 350 internal combustion vehicles in South Africa with the installation of electric buses. E-scooters and e-bikes are also included in the package to promote green transportation both within and outside the facility.
 
Rwanda is also considering a switch to electric buses, with plans to provide incentives to local producers of vehicle parts and charging infrastructure.

Posted on : 16 Apr,2024 | News Source : arqz.co

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