EKA Mobility flags off 15 electric buses in Zanzibar

EKA Mobility has flagged off its 12-metre electric buses in Zanzibar, marking the company’s entry into the island’s public transport market. The flag-off ceremony was attended by Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, President of Zanzibar, who inaugurated the first fleet of electric buses for public transport operations. The initial fleet of 15 electric buses is scheduled to begin commercial operations on 1 August 2026.

The deployment is part of a broader electric mobility programme under which 35 buses have been ordered, with the fleet expected to expand to 150 EKA electric buses by the end of the year, according to the company. The programme aims to support the adoption of electric public transport while creating employment opportunities and providing technical training for local personnel.

Vijay Yelne, President – Export Marketing & SCM, EKA Mobility, said “The launch of Zanzibar’s first electric bus fleet is a strong validation of EKA’s technology and our ability to deliver world-class electric mobility solutions beyond India. It demonstrates that products designed and manufactured in India can successfully meet the evolving mobility needs of international markets. This is another step in taking Indian engineering to the world, and we see Africa as a key growth market in EKA’s global expansion journey.”

The event was attended by senior officials from the Government of Zanzibar, Bishwajit Dey, High Commissioner of India to Tanzania, representatives from the Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF) and Global Rapid Transport (GRT), and officials from EKA Mobility.

As part of the project, EKA Mobility is working with Global Rapid Transport (GRT) to train local personnel in vehicle operations, maintenance, software systems, and safety. The Zanzibar Social Security Fund (ZSSF), together with GRT, is also supporting capacity-building and operational preparedness initiatives.

According to the company, the buses are built on its electric vehicle platform and are designed for urban public transport applications. The deployment adds to EKA Mobility’s international operations in the electric commercial vehicle segment.

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