BasiGo Partners with King Long Bus Company & KVM to Assemble the Next-Generation KL-9 Electric City Bus in Kenya – CleanTechnica

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I have always thought that adoption of electric vehicles in Africa will happen a whole lot faster than a lot of people think, and I am glad to see that we are starting to see a lot more activity in several countries on the continent, from electric motorcycles to electric tuk-tuks to electric buses for public transport. Speaking of buses, Cape Town–based Golden Arrow Bus Services recently started receiving electric buses from its initial 120 electric bus order from BYD. This order is part of the company’s bigger plans to transition its entire fleet of over 1,200 buses to electric. In Kenya, the progress being made by companies such as BasiGo shows us how quickly a transition to electric buses can take place. BasiGo has already deployed over 100 electric buses in Kenya and Rwanda. BasiGo has just announced yet another significant milestone.

BasiGo has just announced the launch of the KL-9, a new electric bus for Kenya designed by King Long Bus Company, in China.  King Long is one of the world’s leading bus manufacturers, with extensive research and development into electric vehicle technology. The good news is that BasiGo has partnered with King Long and Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) to assemble this next-generation electric bus in Kenya. Scaling up the local production of the KL-9 will help meet Kenya’s high demand for electric buses. BasiGo already has a long waiting list of firm orders from bus operators. One of the operators looking forward to receiving more electric buses from BasiGo is OMA Services LTD. OMA Services LTD has firm orders for over 60 buses, and BasiGo ramping up local assembly through this new collaboration with King Long and KVM will help accelerate deliveries to customers.

“Since the launch of our first E-Bus in 2022, BasiGo has built a deep understanding of E-Bus requirements for the Kenyan market. We are proud to be working with an industry leader like King Long to introduce a state-of-the-art electric bus that we believe will redefine public transport operations in Kenya,” said Jit Bhattacharya, cofounder and CEO at BasiGo. “We are excited to work with King Long and Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers to quickly scale production of the KL-9 to meet the overwhelming demand for Electric Buses in Nairobi.”

BasiGo’s traction in Kenya has been driven by its very innovative Pay-As-You-Drive model. With Pay-As-You-Drive, owners can acquire an e-bus for a minimal upfront cost. Owners then pay an affordable Pay-As-You-Drive fee, which includes all charging and maintenance services provided by BasiGo. Since Pay-As-You-Drive is mileage-based, owners only pay if their electric bus is operating. BasiGo says with Pay-As-You-Drive, owning an electric bus is as easy as driving. BasiGo says the KL-9 carries 54 passengers, drives up to 400 km of daily operation, recharges in 2 hours, and features a new body design tailored to the needs of Kenya’s public transport system.

The KL-9 is also powered by a next-generation battery from CATL, the world’s leading EV battery manufacturer. BasiGo was recently selected as CATL’s first authorized service partner in sub-Saharan Africa. With the latest battery technology from CATL and BasiGo’s local service provision, the KL-9 E-Bus comes with a 10-year/1-million-kilometer battery warranty, ensuring longer service life and higher uptime. Through BasiGo’s partnership with CATL, BasiGo Kenya and Rwanda will become CATL’s designated service agents for the region. As an authorized service agent, BasiGo’s service teams in Kenya and Rwanda will receive specialized training and equipment from CATL to provide local maintenance and support for CATL battery technology. CATL batteries are used in BasiGo’s electric buses, as well as in a growing number of electric vehicles across the region. These teams will be equipped with diagnostic tools, training, and spare parts to enable rapid and reliable battery service and repair within the region.

“This is a major milestone for BasiGo and a strong endorsement of the capabilities we’ve built across Kenya and Rwanda,” said Jit Bhattacharya, CEO of BasiGo. “Batteries are the most important component in any EV and CATL is the global leader in EV battery technology. Through this partnership, we are now equipped to ensure the uptime of CATL batteries in African EVs, not just for our electric buses, but for the wider ecosystem of EV operators across the continent.”

The partnership will make CATL battery servicing available locally in both Kenya and Rwanda, significantly improving uptime for fleet operators and shortening the supply chain for spare parts needed to keep batteries operating in good health. BasiGo’s service centers will also act as collection points for end-of-life batteries, supporting CATL’s global recycling efforts. BasiGo’s appointment as a CATL service agent comes at a time of rapid growth in Africa’s electric mobility sector, with increasing adoption of EVs across both public and commercial transport segments.

Back to the new partnership between BasiGo and King Long, Jin Shoulin, General Manager of King Long International, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with BasiGo and to see the completion of the first locally assembled King Long bus in Africa. BasiGo’s experience in Electric Vehicles and commitment to after-sales service make them a trusted partner, and we believe their Pay-As-You-Drive model can help scale electric buses beyond the borders of Kenya.”

On behalf of CFAO, Joshua Anya, Deputy Managing Director, remarked: “Today, we celebrate not only the achievement of BasiGo and King Long but also the significant progress we are making together in strengthening Kenya’s automotive industry and promoting the ‘Buy Kenya, Build Kenya’ agenda. We commend BasiGo on their commitment through King Long to delivering modern, efficient, and reliable transport solutions for Kenyans.”

Speaking at the launch, Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, Hon Lee Kinyanjui said: “We are happy to celebrate this key milestone by BasiGo as the country adopts green mobility. Kenya is proud to be a frontrunner in the green energy space. The company’s leasing model for transporters seeking to acquire electric buses is a game-changer, as it ensures greater accessibility. I also note that transitioning to electric public vehicles will significantly reduce the high fuel consumption that makes up the largest share of our imports. We call on investors to diversify by setting up charging points in major towns.”

With the launch of the KL-9, BasiGo is scaling up local assembly at Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers. The company aims to produce over 20 KL-9 E-Buses per month in 2026, moving closer to its vision of 1,000 electric buses on Kenyan roads by 2027.

Image courtesy of BasiGo and Kenya’s Ministry of  Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry