In January this year, Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) announced that their Kayoola EVS™ (electric vehicles) buses are ready for primetime. Today, we have seen these buses hit the streets of Kampala and ready to serve the citizens.
The Kayoola EVS™ electric buses were locally designed by Ugandan engineers from KMC after the government of Uganda signed a memorandum of understanding with a company called National Enterprise Corporation (NEC).
The Kayoola EVS™ is a fully Electric Low Floor Bus specifically designed for Urban Mass Transportation and KCCA plans to use them as part of the Tondeka bus fleet. During this COVID-19 pandemic Health guidelines will be one of the highlights of these buses each will be equipped with automated hand sanitizing technology at the entrance.
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At full charge, the Kayoola EVS™ has a range of up to 300 kilometers making it capable of seamlessly handling the daily duty cycle. With a sitting capacity of up to 90 passengers, the Kayoola EVS™ is positioned to offer great returns for the bus operator while enabling the reduction in congestion on the city roads.
The Kayoola EVS™ is fitted with state-of-the-art safety and assistive technology for people with special needs including special seats and a ramp for easy boarding and off-boarding of people in wheelchairs.
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The Kayoola EVS™ is premised to facilitate a total sustainable mass mobility solution for Urban Centers in Sub-Saharan Africa. The cost of electricity per Kilometer is about UGX 380 per kilometer versus UGX 1,600 for diesel-powered buses. This ensures a quick return on investments for the bus owners. The buses come with USB powered outlets to help passengers charge their smartphones and on top of this there is also WiFi internet connection for those who want to stay online while traveling or you run out of your data bundle or OTT tax.
The Kayoola EVS™ full specification
| Item | Spec |
|---|---|
| Bus Characteristic | Pure Electric Low Entry City Bus, No need for gas fuel |
| Overall Dimensions (mm) | 12,190×2,550×3,200 |
| Carrying Capacity | 90 (49 Seated, 41 Standing) |
| Maximum Motor Power (kW) | 245 |
| Torque (Nm) | 3,300 |
| Range on Single Charge (km) | 300 |
| Battery Bank Energy Capacity (AH) | 560 |
| Charging duration | 2 hours |
| Cost of electricity per Kilometer | UGX 380 |
KMC says that the current charging technology is able to full the battery of the buses from 0 to 100% within 2 hours and this is one of the major drawbacks of electric vehicles compared to the diesel-powered buses. And this also means they have to set up this charging infrastructure across the city. During the Launch of the Kayoola EVS™ KMC promised one won’t be able to get stuck somewhere upcountry, they will not have to call someone in Kampala to help them out. And since the buses are brand new, they come with a warranty so no need for minor repairs.
Another challenge being faced by KMC is the production capacity of the Kayoola EVS™. The company is working with Luwero Industries Limited to produce eight buses per month they complete their mega Kiira Vehicle Plant.
Government of Uganda, acting through the Uganda Investment Authority, allocated 100 acres for the establishment of the Kiira Vehicle Plant, located at the Jinja Industrial and Business Park, Plot No. 701, Block 2 Kagogwa Village, Mawoito Parish, Kakira Town Council, Jinja District.
The Kiira Vehicle Plant Site that will produce cars such as the Kayoola EVS™ was handed over to National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) on 18th January 2019, who deployed security and commenced work on 11th February 2019. Construction is expected to take two and a half (2.5) Years with completion slated for June 2021.
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