Rwanda’s first intercity DC fast‑charger opens
BasiGo launched Muhanga, Rwanda’s first intercity DC fast‑charging hub with 240 kW capacity, which local leaders say will boost green investment, jobs and emissions reductions along the corridor. The station is a practical case of green infrastructure unlocking EV adoption in emerging markets. (x.com)
The Ministry of Infrastructure formally launched the Muhanga–Kigali/Nyanza/Huye intercity electric‑bus route on May 8, 2025, with 12 BasiGo‑supplied buses handed to operator Volcano Express at the Muhanga Taxi Park. (newtimes.co.rw) BasiGo has said it will support operations with new DC fast‑charging points and is simultaneously upgrading its Rwandex charging and service depot to a 1 MW capacity intended to charge about 25 buses overnight. (basi-go.com) The company closed a US$42 million financing package in October 2024—US$24m equity and US$17.5m in debt led by Africa50—to fund a plan to deliver 1,000 electric buses across East Africa over three years. (africa50.com) BasiGo’s commercial model separates the asset cost through Pay‑As‑You‑Drive contracts that bundle charging, maintenance and insurance and that the company says include a 90% uptime guarantee for operators. (techarena.co.ke) Rwanda’s Infrastructure Ministry has set a policy goal to convert roughly 20% of public transport to electric by 2030, while government analyses put the infrastructure and mobility transition cost in the range of about US$900 million–US$1.3 billion. (africa-press.net) The October Series A also unlocked dedicated debt lines—a US$10m DFC facility for Kenya and a US$7.5m BII facility targeted at Rwanda—illustrating how DFI credit lines have been structured to back bus and charging deployments.
