Jelani Aliyu is the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC). He is an automotive designer who was credited for designing the Chevrolet Volt in the United States of America.
In this interview with Nairametrics, Aliyu talks about current action steps taken by the NADDC to promote the use of electric vehicles in Nigeria.
According to him, Hyundai Kona Electric, Jet Systems Motors, GIG Logistics, Max-NG, and Phoenix are the active electric vehicle players in Nigeria. Excerpt.
Recommended Reading: The economics of driving electric vehicles
How affordable are electric vehicles for Nigerians?
Electric vehicles are more expensive than internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. However, considering the total cost of ownership, which is the price you pay during the entire time of owning a product, is much lower in an electric vehicle (EV) than in an ICE vehicle.
You pay more initially when buying an EV, but because there are no petrol or diesel charges or maintenance charges, an electric vehicle has an edge over ICE vehicles and can be cheaper to maintain in the long run.
Just like for ICE cars, electric car prices range from the normally priced to the exorbitantly priced. The NADDC is working with electric vehicle companies to provide a wide range of prices for these vehicles.
Do we have the necessary expertise for mechanical repairs of EVs in Nigeria?
Just like when the very first internal combustion engine vehicle was first introduced in Nigeria, there were no mechanics or petrol stations. Yet, because of the value the vehicle offered, the whole ecosystem sprang up to what we have today. The NADDC has technicians who understand vehicles in general and hybrids. At NADDC, we have built 18 motor training centres across the country and we will be using these as platforms for technology transfer and to train technicians and mechanics on electric vehicles. We are also putting together the National Occupational Standards (NOS) that will guide the training on electric vehicles. Aside from the electric drive itself, some of the components of EVs are similar to ICE vehicles, this helps in developing skills in EV maintenance.
Are electric vehicles built to withstand Nigerian roads?
Any vehicle that is built in Nigeria, is configured to cope with these extreme environments – terrain, rough roads, extremely high temperatures, extreme dust and other tough climatic conditions. Once an electric vehicle is assembled here in Nigeria, it is done to cope with these extreme conditions. Electric vehicles have smoother configurations, so they are better for the Nigerian and African markets as users do not have to worry so much about maintenance.
How is NADDC ensuring that EV users in Nigeria have charging infrastructure?
When NADDC started promoting electric vehicles, we met some pushback due to power issues, so we started working on a 100% solar-powered, off-grid EV charging station. We built one in Sokoto, one in Lagos and another in Nsukka, Enugu. Anyone can charge their electric vehicle at any of these stations. We are keeping track of data to gauge performance in different climatic conditions, to enable improvement on what we have already built.
We decided to build these charging stations at the universities that are energy research centres. We did this to put advanced technology at the doorstep of young Nigerians, so they can come up with even better solutions. We are about to commission the fourth charging station in Abuja. This facility comes with a fast charger. We are putting together a proven blueprint in collaboration with the private sector to replicate charging stations across the country. It is a chance for private players to invest in clean energy as opposed to building more petrol stations.
Why is it necessary for Nigerians to migrate from Internal Combustion Engine vehicles to EVs?
In a bid to reduce carbon emissions as agreed during the 2015 Paris Agreement, it has become necessary for Nigeria to encourage the use of electric vehicles. Carbon emissions from ICE vehicles are contributing to climate change, so electric vehicles will allow Nigeria to meet emission reduction targets faster. The electric vehicle allows young ICT-skilled Nigerians to explore and make the technology even better because it is basically a computer on wheels.