SOLUTIONSplus – Kigali Demonstration Action

 

In Kigali, SOLUTIONSplus is supporting first- and last-mile connectivity by promoting electric two-wheelers providing feeder services to the public transport system. This takes the form of electric motorcycle-taxis, an electric bikeshare system, and bike racks. The project also assists with the development of a master plan for e-bus charging in the city.

 

In the second half of 2022, the SOLUTIONSplus partners City of Kigali and ITDP initiated preparation of a charging master plan for e-buses. The master plan focuses on establishing the electric energy required to charge the fleet for the pilot e-buses; the location and technology of the chargers; and the set of routes that could be considered in the pilot phase. The study will also propose the business models that might be most suitable for the city.

 

The objective of this Call for Proposals is to support the electric buses component in Kigali, by introducing pilot electric buses in Rwanda and providing data that is key to planning the deployment of electric buses at a larger scale.

 

The SOLUTIONSplus project will make available up to EUR 30,000 for selected private entities (including start-ups), NGOs, research institutions active in electric mobility and able to cover both components 1 and 2:

 

• Component 1: implement a trial program with electric buses in Kigali. This pilot should indicate technical and commercial assumptions used as a hypothesis, and findings identified during the pilot that will serve as the basis for determining the final product specifications, leasing arrangements, and market pricing.

The pilot shall start in Kigali with deployed buses by 31.12.2023 latest.

 

• Component 2: share the following data with SOLUTIONSplus:

  • Characteristics of the electric buses:

    • Specifications for the electric buses, and comparison with technical specifications of internal combustion engines

    • Specifications for electrical connections and chargers used to charge the buses

    • Deployment area and impact of charging at the depot/terminal (location, arrangement with depot owner, any space adaptation required and related investment)

  • Detailed data on bus operations (daily; submitted at the end of the calendar month or upon request by UEMI)

• GPX tracks for all bus trips incorporating the instantaneous time, date, location, speed, elevation, and state of charge (SOC)

• GIS layers for the routes operated by the electric buses

  • Summary statistics (daily; submitted at the end of the calendar month or upon request by UEMI)

• Route length

• Trips per day per bus

• Km per day per bus

• Dead km per day per bus

• Charging time and power per bus

• Maximum and minimum SOC during operations

• Boardings per bus

• Average occupancy (if available from passenger counters)

• Revenue per bus

• Average power consumption per km

  • Final report (due 30.03.2024)

    • Performance of electric buses in comparison to current internal combustion engine buses in Kigali in terms of mileage, efficiency, reliability, operating schedule, ridership, fare revenue, and emissions of CO2 and local pollutants

    • Learnings gathered during the pilot on opportunities and potential barriers. This shall touch upon, but not be limited to: feedback from passengers and operators, application of any innovative financial models, and potential issues with regard to the electrical grid’s stability.

    • Learnings gathered during the pilot on future adaptation of the characteristics of the electric buses and operations, including optimal charging strategy and technical specifications for a scaled deployment of electric buses in Kigali.