How to Make Transportation Quieter, Cleaner and Cheaper | Doreen Orishaba | TED

The speaker, Doreen Orishaba, Managing Director of BasiGo, Rwanda, shares her passion for electric mobility, stemming from her early exposure to cars and speed. She highlights her involvement with Kiira Motors in Uganda, which built Africa's first electric car in 2011 and later Africa's first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and solar electric bus prototype. This was at a time when the rest of Africa largely ignored electric vehicles and the climate crisis. Orishaba emphasizes that electric buses are crucial for African cities, as they move over 60% of the population daily. Despite the efforts of electric mobility startups in Kenya, Rwanda, and Nigeria, challenges like range anxiety, high upfront costs, and limited charging infrastructure hinder widespread adoption. These are similar to hurdles faced in the 1890s, but the planet's urgency demands immediate action. BasiGo addresses these challenges by offering electric buses as a cost-effective alternative to diesel. Their buses are cheaper to run because electricity in Kenya and Rwanda is locally generated from renewables, making it cleaner and more stable than imported diesel. They design buses for local needs, piloting small fleets and optimizing components like battery capacity and suspension for specific market conditions, such as Kigali's hills. BasiGo also locally assembles buses in Nairobi, reducing costs, building local manufacturing capacity, and creating jobs. They overcome range anxiety by building and managing charging infrastructure near bus routes, recharging buses in 1.5-2 hours. Furthermore, BasiGo handles service and maintenance, setting up equipped service centers with trained staff and parts inventory to minimize downtime. Their biggest innovation is a Pay-As-You-Drive lease model, eliminating the need for large upfront investments by operators. Orishaba believes Africa has the potential to lead the global electric mobility movement, especially with over 90% renewable electricity in East Africa. Each BasiGo electric bus mitigates up to 50 tonnes of CO2 annually, five times more than a Tesla in California. This demonstrates that zero-carbon transport is viable in Africa, offering significant environmental and social impact without government subsidies.