EKA Mobility has flagged off 15 electric buses in Zanzibar, with the fleet set to scale to 150 units by end of 2026 as the Indian EV maker enters Africa.
Key points
- EKA Mobility's Fleet Set To Grow From 35 To 150 Buses
- Local Training Behind The Rollout
- The Platform Behind The Buses
- Conclusion
- Frequently Asked Questions on Commercial Vehicles
EKA Mobility has flagged off its first fleet of electric buses in Zanzibar, marking the Indian electric commercial vehicle manufacturer's entry into the island's public transport market. The inaugural fleet of 15 electric buses was flagged off by Zanzibar President Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, with commercial operations scheduled to begin on August 1.
EKA Mobility's Fleet Set To Grow From 35 To 150 Buses
Table of Contents
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1. EKA Mobility's Fleet Set To Grow From 35 To 150 Buses |
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2. Local Training Behind The Rollout |
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3. The Platform Behind The Buses |
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4. Conclusion |
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The deployment is part of a broader electric mobility programme under which 35 buses have already been ordered. EKA Mobility says the fleet is expected to expand to 150 electric buses by the end of 2026, with the initiative aimed at supporting Zanzibar's shift to zero-emission public transport while building local employment and technical capability along the way.
Local Training Behind The Rollout
Getting an electric bus fleet running smoothly in a new market takes more than just shipping vehicles over, which is where EKA's local partnerships come in. The company is working with Global Rapid Transport (GRT) to train local personnel across vehicle operations, maintenance, software systems and safety. The Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF), alongside GRT, is also backing capacity-building and operational readiness for the wider programme — the kind of groundwork that tends to determine whether an export deployment actually holds up once the launch-day cameras leave.
The flag-off ceremony brought together senior officials from the Government of Zanzibar, Bishwajit Dey, India's High Commissioner to Tanzania, along with representatives from ZSSF, GRT and EKA Mobility.
The Platform Behind The Buses
The buses themselves are 12-metre electric units built on EKA Mobility's EV platform, aimed at urban public transport use. That configuration lines up closely with the company's own Eka 12M bus already listed for the Indian market, alongside the shorter Eka E9 Electric bus that rounds out the company's current electric bus range. EKA has flagged Africa as one of its key export markets going forward, and this Zanzibar deployment is effectively the company putting that strategy into practice rather than just stating it.
Vijay Yelne, President – Export Marketing & SCM at EKA Mobility, framed the launch as proof that vehicles designed and built in India can meet the mobility needs of international markets, calling Africa a key growth region in the company's global expansion. Buyers curious about how EKA's platform compares with other options can check out this broader roundup of electric buses in India, which covers the Eka E9 alongside other models in the segment.
Conclusion
Going from a 15-bus flag-off to a stated target of 150 units within the same year is an ambitious jump, and it'll depend heavily on how well the training and infrastructure groundwork with GRT and ZSSF holds up once daily operations begin. Either way, Zanzibar gives EKA Mobility a real reference project for its Africa export ambitions, rather than just an announcement — commercial buses running daily routes tend to prove a platform's reliability faster than any press release can.
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Frequently Asked Questions on Commercial Vehicles
Q1. How many electric buses has EKA Mobility deployed in Zanzibar so far?
Ans. EKA Mobility has flagged off 15 electric buses in Zanzibar, with commercial operations set to begin on August 1.
Q2. How large is EKA Mobility's planned fleet in Zanzibar?
Ans. The fleet is expected to grow from 35 buses currently on order to 150 electric buses by the end of 2026.
Q3. What size are the electric buses deployed in Zanzibar?
Ans. The buses are 12-metre electric units built on EKA Mobility's EV platform, designed for urban public transport applications.
Q4. Who is EKA Mobility partnering with for local training in Zanzibar?
Ans. EKA Mobility is working with Global Rapid Transport (GRT) and the Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF) to train local personnel and support operational readiness.