Kiira Motors Corporation, a local vehicle manufacturing company in Uganda conducted a successful 130Km road test for a flagship model city bus ( Kayoola EVS), from Nakasongola to Kampala, to celebrate the Golden Jubilee of Engineering in Uganda.
The road test was flagged off by the Ugandan Minister for Science, Technology, and Innovation, Hon Dr Elioda Tumwesigye.
According to a Press Release sent to EABW Digital News, the Kayoola EVS has a seating capacity of 90 Passengers (49 Seated and 41 Standing), with assistive technology for people with special needs including a special seat and a ramp for easy boarding of people with physical disabilities.
The Kayoola EVS has a range of 300km on a single charge. The Kayoola EVS is also fitted state-of-the-art infotainment as well as other features like USB Ports and onboard Wifi.
Kiira Motors Corporation is a domestic automotive industry value chain initiative of the Government of the Republic of Uganda, in recognition of the economic transformative opportunity in the upstream and downstream tiers of the domestic and regional Automotive Industry.
To date, The Ugandan government has facilitated the production of Government thus approved the production of model vehicles, with the Kayoola EVS Bus near commercial production.
Further, the government allocated resources for the establishment of the Kiira Vehicle Plant in Partnership with reputable global vehicle manufacturers progressively enhancing automotive Local Content Participation and Technology Transfer.
The construction of the Kiira Vehicle Plant commenced in February 2019, the start of production is scheduled for June 2021.
Kiira Motors Corporation plans to facilitate multi-sectoral and lateral linkages in the automotive industry and with adjacent industries including; Energy (Solar) for Mobility, interior upholstery from locally available cotton and leather, Silica used to manufacture sheet glass and iron ore for automotive steel.
Speaking during the test drive, the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Elioda Tumwesigye emphasized government role in providing policy guidance and oversight during the establishment of a sustainable domestic automotive industry value chain.
“The Ministry has embarked on a process of developing a comprehensive Automotive Industry Policy that will stimulate and promote automotive engineering, auto parts and components manufacturing, and vehicle assembly in Uganda.
“Through technology transfer with strategic global automotive industry players an enabling environment to attract investment in the automotive value chain, we envision the establishment of an internationally competitive automotive industry in Uganda through standardization and regulation,” he said.
In her remarks, the Minister of Works and Transport Hon. Eng. Monica Azuba Ntenge after taking her maiden ride in the Bus noted that the Kayoola EVS is comfortable and drives smoothly and the finishes are good and up to standard.
She further emphasized the need for Kampala Capital City Authority to put in place the BRT infrastructure to decongest Kampala, now that we have the capacity to make buses here in Uganda, which can also be utilized at the airport.
In conformity with global green mobility solutions standards, Kiira Motors Corporation is further undertaking a 12 months study on rolling out electric buses in urban centres in Sub-Saharan Africa with the Kayoola EVS.
This study is aimed at the validation of market requirements and the development of strategic value chain partners for the Kiira Vehicle Plant.
At the end fo the study, we expect to catalyze support from stakeholders, stimulate policy initiatives towards environmental protection through reduction of carbonized transportation, and stimulate electrification of mobility in Sub-Saharan Africa.
