BasiGo: Pioneering Electric Mobility in Kenya

BasiGo has emerged as one of the most significant pioneers shaping electric mobility in Kenya, particularly in the public transport sector where the transition from diesel-powered buses to electric fleets ...has historically faced cost, infrastructure, and financing barriers. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Nairobi, the company has introduced a model that goes beyond vehicle supply to address the full ecosystem required for electrification, including financing, charging infrastructure, maintenance, and fleet management support.

At the core of BasiGo’s approach is a pay-as-you-drive structure designed to reduce the high upfront cost that typically blocks adoption of electric buses in African markets. Instead of requiring operators to purchase buses outright at a premium, BasiGo enables them to acquire electric buses at a price comparable to diesel equivalents while paying a usage-based fee that covers the battery, charging, servicing, and software systems. This structure has been widely recognized as a practical adaptation of mobility-as-a-service principles to the realities of informal and semi-formal transport systems like Nairobi’s matatu and bus network. The company has also worked with financial institutions such as KCB Bank to unlock asset financing solutions that can cover up to 90 percent of the vehicle cost, further lowering entry barriers for operators.

BasiGo initially introduced electric buses imported from BYD Auto, including the 25-seater K6 and the larger E9 models, which were deployed in Nairobi in pilot operations beginning in 2022. These early deployments involved partnerships with established public transport operators such as Citi Hoppa, allowing the company to test performance under real urban operating conditions characterized by high mileage, congestion, and variable route demand. A key operational milestone was the establishment of charging and service infrastructure in Nairobi, which enabled overnight charging and centralized fleet maintenance. Unlike models that rely on public charging networks, BasiGo has deliberately built a controlled ecosystem of depots, charging stations, and service hubs tailored specifically for bus operations.

As demand has grown, the company has moved toward local assembly in Kenya through partnerships with local vehicle assembly firms, including Associated Vehicle Assemblers and other manufacturing partners. This shift has important implications for the local economy, including job creation, technical skills transfer, and the gradual development of Kenya as a regional hub for electric vehicle assembly and maintenance. It also aligns with broader policy and industrialization goals that encourage local manufacturing rather than full reliance on imports.

BasiGo’s growth has been supported by significant investment from both private and development finance institutions, including British International Investment, which has backed its efforts to scale electric bus deployment across Kenya and expand into neighboring markets such as Rwanda. The company has articulated ambitions to deploy hundreds and eventually more than a thousand electric buses across East Africa, positioning itself as a key enabler of mass transit electrification in the region. Its business model is anchored not only on environmental benefits but also on total cost of ownership economics, where lower fuel and maintenance costs of electric buses create long-term savings for operators despite higher initial capital requirements in conventional purchasing models.

Kenya provides a particularly strong foundation for BasiGo’s model due to its high share of renewable energy generation, with more than 90 percent of electricity coming from sources such as geothermal, hydro, wind, and solar. This makes electric mobility significantly cleaner in lifecycle emissions compared to diesel alternatives, strengthening the environmental case for adoption. At the same time, the volatility of fuel prices has increased pressure on transport operators, making predictable electricity-based operating costs an attractive alternative.

Through its combination of financing innovation, infrastructure development, and local assembly, BasiGo has helped reposition Kenya as one of the leading early adopters of electric public transport in Africa. Its approach reflects a broader shift in the continent’s mobility landscape, where innovation is not limited to vehicle technology but extends to how transport systems are financed, operated, and integrated into energy infrastructure. By building a system tailored to local market realities rather than importing a developed-world model, BasiGo has played a foundational role in demonstrating that large-scale electric mobility in African cities is not only possible but commercially viable under the right ecosystem design.Show More