By Judith Gicobi
Following the launch of the country’s first electric passenger buses on Wednesday, Kenya Power claims it now has adequate power to operate an electric-mobility system.
Kenya Power has enough energy to charge 50,000 buses and 2 million motorbikes during off-peak hours, according to the company’s managing director Rosemary Oduor.
Oduor said in a statement that it has a total installed capacity of 2991 MW and an off-peak load of 1200 MW.
“It is a phenomenal industry that will have a huge impact on the economy, while protecting the environment,” she stated.
She said that there is sufficient electricity to sustain the full e-mobility ecosystem, including household and commercial charging stations.
She went on to say that the program “will create thousands of employment for young and creative Kenyans and has the ability to make Kenya the regional leader in this field.
Oduor stated that in order to assist the spread of electric motorization in the country, “Kenya Power has established a liaison office which will act as our one-stop shop to champion the Company’s e-mobility business.”
“Through this office, we will work with other stakeholders to support the development of the e-mobility eco-system, which will include the identification of sites for potential charging stations, as well as requisite geo-mapping software to enable users locate the nearest charging station.”
BasiGo, an electric mobility business, has debuted the country’s first electric passenger bus, which is intended to change the transportation market.
The company is now conducting a pilot run with two bus operators to demonstrate that the concept may work in Kenya.
The project’s pilot partners are Citi Hoppa and Eastland Eagles. The buses will run between the CBD and JKIA, as well as between City Stadium and Dandora.
Commuters would pay Sh20 per kilometer and each 25-seater bus will cost Sh5 million.
Furthermore, BasiGo includes a platform where consumers can log in and monitor the position of the bus, the charge in the bus, and the bus’s electrical potential on payment.
Kenya Power, in conjunction to BasiGo, is in negotiations with five additional e-mobility firms that are either already operating or preparing to enter the market, according to Oduor, and the company is looking forward to collaborating with even more as the sector grows.
