Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station |
The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) has inaugurated a 100 per cent Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle (EV) Charging Station at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).
The council, in a statement on Friday, said the pilot
project was an initiative under its EV development project as incorporated in
the new 2023 National Automotive Industry Development Plan.
The statement quoted the Vice-Chancellor of UNN, Charles
Igwe as saying that the project was commendable and a landmark achievement.
Mr. Igwe, a professor, said: “I am delighted that UNN is among the universities chosen to be part of the NADDC EV Pilot programme. UNN will always support and be the first on EV development in Nigeria.”
He charged relevant authorities in the university to be more
practical-oriented and fully key into the Vehicle Electrification programme of
NADDC for the benefit of the university and humanity in general.
Mr Igwe also stressed the need to bridge the gap between
energy production and productivity by building Solar Energy farms as renewable
sources of energy generation in Nigeria.
The statement also quoted NADDC Director-General, Jelani
Aliyu, as saying that the station at UNN was one of the three EV pilot
programmes of the NADDC.
Jelani, represented by the Director, Industrial
Infrastructure Department of the council, Nua Omisanya, said it was aimed at
developing research work in the area of vehicle electrification through human
capital development.
“In furtherance to the council’s bid to promote the
research, design and adoption of EVs, NADDC had developed three 15KVA
Solar-powered EV charging Stations at three Federal Institutions.
“The institutions are the University of Lagos, Usmanu
Danfodiyo University, Sokoto and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka,” he said.
The director-general urged the universities to utilise the
opportunity by stimulating further research and development of EVs in Nigeria.
He said that charging stations at UDUS and UNILAG had
already been inaugurated for the same purpose.
“With the emergence of new automotive technologies, the
global automotive industry is in a race of technological advancement, and the
Nigerian Automotive Industry cannot be left out, but must be at the forefront
of the race.
“In the same vein, I urge the general public to embrace
Electric Vehicles as a greener and alternative means of transportation in
Nigeria,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the university
team led by the vice-chancellor thereafter test-drove the Hyundai Kona EV car
deployed by the NADDC as part of the project.
Other dignitaries at the event were the Dean, Faculty of
Engineering, UNN and Chairperson NADDC-UNN Centre for Electric Vehicle Research
and Development, Ozoemena Ani, a professor.
The Deputy Director in charge of NADDC Zonal Offices, Susan
Bisong-Taiwo, and NADDC South-east Zonal Coordinator, Edith Oleribe, were also
in attendance at the event. NAN