Kenya’s public transport players set to receive 15 more EV buses from BasiGo

NAIROBI, Kenya - The public transport operators in Kenya are set to receive 15 electric buses from electric vehicle startup BasiGo.

Earlier today the startup delivered two environmentally friendly buses to local transport operators, Citi Hoppa and Super Metro.

This shift to EV passenger vehicles comes at a time when Kenya Kwanza’s administration seeks to modernize the country’s PSV sector.

According to Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen, EV adoption is part of the government’s agenda to address pollution and climate change.

The CS further added that Ruto's government will provide incentives for public service vehicles, motorcycles, and commercial transporters to acquire EVs.

“The Government will play its role in the transition to e-mobility by providing an enabling environment for development and mainstreaming e-mobility through fiscal incentives for importers, manufacturers, assemblers, sellers, and spare part dealers,” said Murkomen.

The Kenyan government enacted the Climate Change Act of 2016 and the Energy Act of 2019 to help with the transition to e-mobility.

Through the Finance Act of 2019, the excise tax on 100 percent EVs was reduced from 20 percent to 10 percent, and a host of other possible incentives are being considered under the draft National Green Fiscal Incentives Framework.

“As we promote electric mobility, we must prepare as a nation to deal with batteries’ end-of-life style in a manner that they will not cause any harm to the environment while exploring ways of recycling them or better ways of disposal will be crucial,” he added.

GAROWE ONLINE