Swedish-Kenyan group introduces electric buses in Kenya
An Opibus is seen in this undated promotional photo released by Opibus.
A Swedish-Kenyan company, Opibus, has
introduced the first African-designed and manufactured electric bus in Kenya
with the aim of bringing clean energy to public transportation. Opibus, Kenya’s
first company to make electric motorcycles, plans to launch the bus
commercially in a few months and bring it to markets across Africa by 2023.
As other vehicles jostle for space while
belching clouds of dark smoke in the streets of Nairobi, Benjamin Maina is
driving a unique bus; one that is fully electric.
“I feel privileged driving this
vehicle," said Maina. "It is also very amazing when you are driving
this vehicle compared to the fossil fuel vehicles, considering there is a lot
of vibration on fossil fuel vehicles and also a lot of noise. But with this
vehicle, it’s quite silent and very sleek.”
Public transport in Kenya and across the
African continent is largely run informally, and emissions standards are rarely
enforced, making the vehicles highly pollutive as Jane Akumu, a Sustainable
Mobility expert at the U.N. Environment Program explains.
“If you look at the cities, the heavy-duty
vehicles which are buses and trucks, that’s the bulk of the pollution,"
said Akumu. "So, they are a big contributor to pollution. But as I said,
they are also an opportunity. Because how do we shift to cleaner modes? Because
we need mass transport to be sustainable to make cities more sustainable.”
The introduction of electric buses into the
African market by Opibus is aimed at remedying the situation. Albin Wilson is
the chief of strategy and marketing at Opibus.
“This electric bus is really (an) important
first step in the transition from fossil fuel vehicles to electric clean
mobility," said Wilson. "And I think we are really showing precedence
being the first movers in this market with a bus that is even locally
developed.”
Christopher Maina is a resident of Nairobi.
VOA asked him about his experience as a passenger riding on an electric bus.
“This ride today is one of its own, having
ridden on an electric vehicle," said Maina. "It's just cool, no
noises like the combustion engines, there are no smells like the combustion
engines. So, it's just cool and awesome to be in this vehicle.”
Africa’s electric car market, currently in
its infancy, presents a huge opportunity for investment and the creation of
green jobs, say experts. Here again is Jane Akumu.
“When you look at our source of electricity,
it is renewable," said Akumu. "For example, in Ethiopia it is almost
100% renewable energy: hydro and such. If you look at Kenya it is over 90%. So,
we have energy. We don’t have to import fossil fuel; petrol, diesel and all
that. So, we have the energy here, then this is also very good opportunity for
jobs, green jobs.”
Benjamin Maina notes one other benefit of his
electric bus – lower costs for maintenance and fuel. It means more money in his
pocket, he says, and a higher standard of living.
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