Last Thursday, the Rwandan Infrastructure Ministry launched the first electric bus line linking the capital Kigali and the city of Mohanga, passing through the Nianza and Hui regions.
This initiative comes within the framework of the government’s efforts to expand the use of environmentally friendly public transport.
The company “Volcano Express” has started operating this new line, becoming the first public transport company to adopt electric buses between cities in Rwanda.
The company received 12 electric buses from the company “Passigo”, which specializes in manufacturing and supplying electric buses in the country.
Ambulance turned towards clean transportation
This project represents part of the ambitious Rwanda plan to convert 20% of the public transport fleet into electrical vehicles by 2030. According to the Rwandan Environmental Management Authority, this transformation is expected to reduce carbon emissions by about 72 thousand tons annually.
The data indicates that buses are responsible for more than 40% of the transport sector emissions in Rwanda, making it a major axis in emissions reduction efforts.
Experts estimate that the implementation of this full shift in the public transport sector will require investments of up to 900 million dollars.
A future vision and an investment in the environment
The CEO of Folkano Express expressed Igid Igapi, his optimism about the future of electrical transport in Rwanda.
“We hope to turn all our buses into an electrician in the future, in support of the government’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. This shift will contribute to reducing our dependence on fuel and reducing operational costs.”