Uganda Airlines Receives Its First Environmentally Friendly Electric Bus from Kiira Motors Corporation
Uganda Airlines, Uganda’s national career has today November 23, 2022 received its first environmentally friendly electric kayoola bus from Kiira Motors Corporation to boost its operations. The bus will aid in transporting Uganda Airlines’ Passengers between terminals on the tarmac.
The announcement was made on Uganda Airline’s twitter page “Our CEO, Ms Jennifer Bamuturaki today received the Kayoola Bus from Hon. Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa, the Executive Chairman of Kiira Motors to support our operations. The new Electric bus marks a journey of running sustainable operations. Thank you”
Eventually, the Ugandan public carrier will gradually replace its conventional buses for transporting passengers between the terminal and the planes with more modern and more ecological “e-buses” (electric buses).
Kiira Motors Corporation or KMC is a State Enterprise in Uganda established to champion the Development of the Domestic Automotive Value Chain for job and wealth creation and commercialize the Kiira Electric Vehicle Project. Africa’s first electric vehicle was developed under the Kiira Electric Vehicle Project in 2011.
KMC developed Africa’s first hybrid vehicle, the Kiira EVS, in 2014 and Africa’s first solar electric bus, the Kayoola Solar Bus in 2016. KMC’s market entry products are the Kayoola EVS a Fully Electric Low Floor City Bus with a range of 300 kilometers on a full charge and the Kayoola Coach, a premium highway coach available in both electric and diesel powertrains.
“Kayoola” Buses rely on lithium-ion batteries that power the electric motor. They are currently produced in the facilities of Luwero Industries Limited pending the commissioning of its own assembly site in the town of JINJA, Uganda’s second commercial hub.
The introduction of these buses is in line with repeated initiatives in favor of the environment, the company having already introduced two eco-efficient Airbus 330neo which show a 25% reduction in fuel consumption and emissions. CO2 per seat, 60% of noise footprint.
Besides Kayoola buses, KMC also offers the “Kiira EV Smack”, a hybrid electric vehicle and a fully electric vehicle, “Kiira EV POC”. It is estimated that Uganda spends up to $2 billion each year on spare parts for fossil fuel vehicles and a large amount of this money can be saved as electric mobility becomes popular.
At full charge, the Kayoola EVS has a range of up to 300 kilometers making it capable of handling the daily duty cycle. With a sitting capacity of up to 90 passengers. KMC was awarded as the African Company of the Year in the 2021 African Business Leadership Awards.
