Episode 12 : Basigo: Is Kenya warming up to Electric Vehicles?

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the matatu industry generates over Sh200 billion in annual revenue with about 70% of Kenyans relying on matatus. Seeking to tap this market, Basigo, is a mobility startup revolutionizing Nairobi matatu culture while racing to clean public transport in Kenya and addressing the urgency of the climate crisis. Better yet, the company seeks to shore up demand of renewable energy sources by strategically charging its fleet at night so as to recharge with clean and renewable energy. Renewable energy sources account for nearly 90% of the electricity generation in Kenya and is sourced mostly from geothermal, wind and hydro modes of generation. Courtesy of a Pay-As-You-Drive financing solution, 15 buses are set to hit the road in the next few weeks, Basigo has a target to have 100 buses on Kenyan roads by the end of the year and 1,000 buses operating by the end of 2025. In this episode, I speak to serial entrepreneur and Basigo’s Chief Revenue Officer Moses Nderitu on the case for emobility.The company is looking at Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania & Ethiopia for potential expansion. In our next video, we celebrate leading women in tech ! Stay tuned! Timestamps 00:00 - Introduction 00:37 - Who is Moses Nderitu? 03:16 - Does e-mobility need specialized infrastructure? 05:35 - What is BasiGo's big picture? 06:03 - What's the company's experience so far? 07:40 - Factoring in bumps on Kenyan roads 09:12 - Structural difference of BasiGo buses 09:38 - Assembling buses in Nairobi 10:48 - Road to local assembly 11:13 - How and where can you take an electric bus? 12:46 - How much does fare cost? 14:50 - Distinctive bus features 17:48 - How long does it take to charge? 19:02 - Methodology of setting up charging infrastructure 20:20 - How are routes chosen? 21:17 - Special electricity rates for EVs? 22:44 - How is BasiGo shoring up electricity demand? 25:53 - How much does it cost to acquire an electric bus? 27:53 - Maintenance 28:37 - Any night travels? 30:06 - BasiGo's greatest competition 31:47 - Diversification 34:45 - Looking into the future