School Of The Nations Acquires Electric School Buses From BasiGo, Making It The First School In Kenya To Transition To E-Mobility

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School buses are part of the critical transit system in many countries. School buses ferry hundreds of thousands of school children daily. In a lot of countries, these buses tend to be painted bright yellow so you can’t miss them. With predictable set times of travel and well known routes, these buses are a low hanging fruit for electrification as managing charging becomes a no-brainer. There are big opportunities as well to charge these buses with solar during the day when they are parked in between pickup and drop off times. 

School buses are also a big deal in Kenya, and we have sight of the first big round of news on this front. School of the Nations in Kenya has become the first school in the country to acquire electric school buses, marking a significant milestone in the transition to sustainable student transport in the country. The electric school buses are provided by BasiGo, the startup that has pioneered the introduction of electric buses for public transport across East Africa. Since launching its operations, BasiGo now has 132 buses in operation, and these buses have driven 8,398,712 km, resulting in 4,554.23 TCO2 emissions avoided and 1,686,484 liters of diesel avoided, while ferrying 11,159,798 passengers.

BasiGo has now delivered the first of 11 electric vehicles to the School of the Nations, as the institution looks to transition its entire student transport fleet to electric in 2026.  “This bus is a practical investment in both student well-being and the future,” said Dr. Hwaock Im, Principal, School of the Nations. “It provides clean, quiet transport for our learners while helping us reduce emissions. More importantly, it allows our students to see sustainability in action, not just in textbooks, but in their daily commute. By adopting electric transport, we are showing them that the future they study is one we are actively building.”

In a great example of innovation and moving to lower the barriers to adoption, the first electric bus in operation with the School of the Nations is a 25-seat electric bus manufactured by BYD. This bus was first imported by BasiGo in 2023. The bus was operated in Nairobi’s public transport for the past 3 years, demonstrating its ruggedness, durability, and safety. The bus has now been made available to a new constituency at a more affordable price point. Public bus operators usually get loans from the big banks to finance acquisition of brand new buses, whether ICE or electric. The numbers make sense for them as they will recoup their money over time from their daily operations. Other organizations may not be in a position to absorb brand new buses at those same price points. To bring more affordable electric bus options to the market, BasiGo is now able to refurbish public transport electric buses into near-new condition, ensuring they meet all regulatory and safety requirements.  BasiGo is able to offer refurbished buses at a significantly lower cost to entities that are unable to afford the cost of a new electric bus.

“We are so proud to partner with School of the Nations as they lead Kenya into the new era of clean, electric student transport,” said Jit Bhattacharya, CEO and Co-Founder, BasiGo. “Forward-looking institutions like the School of the Nations are proving that clean mobility is not just viable, but practical and scalable across new sectors. Schools in particular represent a strong and sustainable market for second-hand electric buses, enabling institutions to access clean transport solutions at a lower cost while extending the productive life of these vehicles.”

This first electric school bus will be supplemented with 10 BasiGo Ma3E electric vans in the coming months, enabling the School of the Nations to transition its entire student transport fleet to electric. To support seamless operations, BasiGo will install charging infrastructure on the School of the Nations’ grounds, provide discounted access for the school’s vehicles at BasiGo depots, and provide end-to-end service and maintenance to ensure optimal performance and long-term reliability of the school’s electric fleet.

“This is electric mobility in action; practical, sustainable, and accessible,” added Jit Bhattacharya, CEO and Co-Founder of BasiGo. “We are creating a model that other institutions and schools across the country can replicate.” I really like what Jit says here. This is a clear replicable and scalable model that can transform the school bus sector given its large addressable market. 

Images courtesy of BasiGo