Imagine driving from Uganda all the way to Cape Town and back… in a giant electric bus built entirely in Africa, without a single drop of petrol. That’s exactly what’s happening right now, and it’s kind of awesome. Last month, Kiira EV Kayoola e-Coach kicked off its maiden longest test drive.
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It’s been 13 days, and the bright green Kiira EV Kayoola e-Coach (think of it as a 2025-model, zero-emission, 49-seater party bus on batteries) rolled into Gaborone, Botswana, like a rock star. That’s 4,493 km already in the bag — about 35% of the full 13,000 km round trip — and it’s sipping electricity at a ridiculous 0.84 kWh per kilometer. For context, that’s like your phone using less battery on a Netflix binge than most electric cars do just driving to the shops.
Zero breakdowns. Zero safety drama. Zero maintenance bills so far. The bus is basically laughing at physics.
While the bus is the star, MTN Uganda is the roadie making the whole show possible. They’ve turned the Kayoola into the most connected electric coach on the planet:
- Always-on Wi-Fi for the crew (yes, they’re streaming and posting selfies)
- Live GPS tracking so we can all stalk… we mean follow… the journey in real time
- Cross-border calls and Webex meetings that don’t drop when you cross from Zambia into Botswana
- Paying for charging stations and snacks with a quick Mobile Money zap
No “no signal” excuses for 4,500+ km across six countries. That’s the kind of flex telecom companies dream about.
When the bus pulled up, it wasn’t just a pit stop — it was a proper celebration. Uganda’s Ambassador, big-shot ministers from Botswana, and the Kiira Motors team threw a mini-festival at Hotel 430. There were speeches, handshakes, and everyone basically agreeing: “Africa can build cool stuff too.”The best lines of the night:
- Uganda’s Ambassador Paul Amoru: “Time for Africa to stop importing tech and start exporting it.”
- Botswana’s Deputy Permanent Secretary Lesego Thamae: “This bus is Agenda 2063 on wheels — green, smart, and very, very African.”
- Elias Bwambale (the expedition boss from Kiira Motors): “We’ve proved the bus works. Now Africa needs to build the plugs.”
Because here’s the real talk: the Kayoola e-Coach is ready for prime time, but the continent still needs more fast chargers on the big highways. Think of it like having a brand-new iPhone… but only one charging cable in the entire country.
This isn’t just a long road trip. It’s Africa saying: “We can design, engineer, and build world-class electric vehicles right here.” And then actually proving it by driving one farther than most people would dare take a petrol bus. Every kilometer the Kayoola rolls, it’s collecting data that’ll help make the next buses even smarter, cheaper, and ready for African roads (potholes, heat, dust, and all).
So next time someone says electric vehicles are just for rich countries with perfect roads, show them a picture of this bright green Ugandan beast chilling in Botswana, halfway to Cape Town, still on its first “tank” of electricity. The future of African transport isn’t coming — it’s already on the move. And it’s electric.
