Rwanda Green Fund awards grant to electric bus company
IZI has secured a grant from the Rwanda Green Fund to deploy five additional electric buses in Kigali.
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IZI, the Africa-focused e-mobility provider, has secured a RWF 300,000,000 (about $222,000) grant from the Rwanda Green Fund to deploy five additional electric buses in Kigali.
These vehicles will represent the most advanced public transport in Rwanda to date, boasting features such as an independent intelligent driver's cabin, air suspension balanced driver's seat, full LCD dashboard, one-step entry, and a flat-floor design for improved passenger comfort.
In just four months of operation, IZI's initial fleet of five electric buses has demonstrated remarkable success. The buses have travelled over 74,000 electric kilometres and carried more than 250,000 passengers.
Alex Wilson, CEO of IZI, stated, "These results validate our e-mobility-as-a-service model. We're not just reducing emissions; we're proving that sustainable public transport is economically viable in Africa."
The success of IZI's pilot has led to strong demand from other Rwandan public bus operators. IZI has now signed contracts with four transport companies for the deployment of over 100 buses, marking a significant expansion of its operations.
Andrew Mugisha, deputy CEO of Volcano Express, one of the partnering companies, said, "IZI's electric buses offer us a path to significantly reduce our operational costs while contributing to a cleaner environment. We're excited to deploy these buses on our routes."
Looking ahead, IZI plans to establish a battery maintenance and repair facility in Kigali, supporting the entire EV ecosystem in Rwanda.
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