Kayoola electric bus arrives in Botswana’s capital
Uganda’s Ambassador to South Africa, Paul Amoru, said: “Africa must move from being a consumer of technology to a net exporter of technology.”
In a statement by MTN, by the time the bus rolled into Botswana, it had completed 35% of its journey at an energy rate of 0.84 kWh per km. (File photo)
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The fully electric Kayoola E Coach from Uganda arrived in Botswana’s capital city, Gaborone, on Wednesday, December 03, after covering 4,493 km of its planned 13,000 km Trans Africa journey.
The electric bus is on a of long-distance e-mobility across the region. The coach, built by Kiira Motors Corporation, is travelling from Kampala to Cape Town and back with MTN Uganda, providing the digital systems that keep it connected, tracked and operational across six countries.
In a statement by MTN, by the time the bus rolled into Botswana, it had completed 35% of its journey at an energy rate of 0.84 kWh per km. The team reported no safety incidents and no mechanical repairs. Officials and diplomats gathered at Hotel 430 in Gaborone to cheer the milestone.
Uganda’s Ambassador to South Africa, Paul Amoru, said: “Africa must move from being a consumer of technology to a net exporter of technology.”
Lesego Thamae, Botswana’s Deputy permanent secretary at the Ministry of Communication and Transport, said: “The Kayoola E-Coach in Gaborone is a living proof of Agenda 2063’s vision: a green, smart, and connected Africa. This Made-in-Africa innovation strengthens our resolve in Botswana to embrace sustainable mobility to create shared prosperity for the continent.”
Elias Bwambale, the Kiira Motors Corporation’s Head of Mission, said: “We have proven that African engineers can design and build a world-class electric coach that outperforms many global counterparts. But hardware alone is not enough. The real game-changer will be a harmonised, interoperable fast-charging network along Africa’s major transnational corridors.”