Ugandan Government invests $50 Million Dollars in locally Electric Vehicles and Solar Power Bus.

In East Africa, Uganda has leap frogged into a new era of generating power having recently launched the first solar-powered bus in Africa.

The Kayoola solar vehicle, is one of three electric vehicles developed by Ugandan-based Kiira Motors Corporation.

Powered solely by electricity and solar photovoltaic (PV) rooftop panels, the bus, which seats 35 passengers, doesn’t possess an engine, according to Mario Obuwa, the project’s chief engineer, in a report by Voice of America.

According to the CEO of the motor company, Paul Isaac Musasizi, the idea of this design is to enable the downstream aspects of the automotive value chain to open doors for the youth.

“What is driving the bus is a motor, a traction motor, which is being run by a battery and the battery banks are the ones that are linked to the solar system that’s on the roof," he said in an interview with Climate Leader.

Musasizi added that Uganda is committed to green mobility as the panacea to climate change, especially with the continent’s growing population and need for significant economic growth.