Govt rolls out electric bus service to secondary cities

The Ministry of Infrastructure on Thursday, May 8, launched the first electric intercity bus route connecting Muhanga to Kigali, Nyanza, and Huye districts, as it looks to green public transport. Volcano Express, a public transport company, will be the first company to operate electric buses on the new route. The company received at least 12 electric buses that were acquired from BasiGo. The government expects the private sector to take lead in expanding electric mobility across satellite and secondary, as well as rural areas. “We highly commend the private sector-led efforts to expand electric mobility, both buses and motorcycles, outside Kigali. This aligns with the government’s policy to promote e-mobility across the country,” stated Jimmy Gasore, the Minister of Infrastructure. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda's first full electric public buses Rwanda aims to convert 20 per cent of its public transportation fleet to electric vehicles by 2030. According to the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), achieving this target could reduce carbon emissions by 72,000 tonnes. This goal is based on data showing that over 40 per cent of transport sector emissions originate from buses. Full adoption of electric vehicles and related infrastructure in Rwanda is projected to require up to $900 million. Egide Igabe, CEO of Volcano Express, said: “We hope that in the coming years, we will convert all our buses to electric in support of the government’s ambition to reduce carbon emissions. This will lower our dependence on fuel and reduce associated costs.” ALSO READ: E-mobility: Rwanda moves to convert fuel motorbikes to electric Electric mobility timely Given Rwanda’s hilly terrain, innovative mobility solutions are essential. More than $1.3 billion is needed to develop advanced transport technology, infrastructure, and mobility services. A preliminary geospatial analysis by the Ministry of Infrastructure has identified over 226 potential sites for electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country. ALSO READ: Rwanda develops master plan for EV charging stations ALSO READ: Rwanda extends import tax exemption for electric vehicles Jit Bhattacharya, Co-Founder and CEO of BasiGo, stated that the firm is now expanding to intercity routes, after just 16 months of launching its operations in the country. “Electric buses have been successfully tested in Musanze, Nyanza, Huye, Kayonza, Nyagatare, and other areas. The buses have transported 977,000 passengers, covered 353,000 kilometres and reduced 170 tonnes of carbon emissions,” he noted. In the first phase of expansion, the company’s electric buses will be deployed across the Southern (Muhanga and Huye), Eastern (Nyagatare, Kayonza, and Rusumo), Western (Rubavu), and Northern (Musanze and Burera) provinces. The firm is set to deliver 28 electric buses by May. This delivery represents the first stage of the company’s plan to deploy 100 electric buses nationwide by 2025. He also noted that new DC fast chargers will be installed in Muhanga to support reliable intercity operations, ensuring efficient vehicle turnaround and consistent performance on long-distance routes. Rwanda announced an ambitious climate action agenda, targeting a 38 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to business as usual by 2030, equivalent to an estimated mitigation of up to 4.6 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

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Govt rolls out electric bus service to secondary cities