[4] Following restrictions on diesel for matatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic and environmental changes afterwards,[5] Jit Bhattacharya decided to create the first electric buses in Nairobi, becoming BasiGo's CEO and co-founder.
[6] On 2 November 2021, BasiGo announced the start of its operations in Nairobi, after receiving $1,000,000 in pre-seed funding.
They were BYD K6 models operating under Citi Hoppa and East Shuttle matatu companies, with one bus passing through Buruburu and Dandora and the other one moving through Allsops, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and the Nairobi CBD.
[1] After getting its first two vehicles, BasiGo shipped 15 more BYD K6 electric buses, which were cleared from the port of Mombasa on 30 November 2022.
[13] After the shipping and assembly of the first buses, BasiGo began leasing them to local matatu companies via a Pay-as-you-drive model.