The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) inaugurated a 100% 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 incorporated into the new National Automotive Industry Development Plan 2023.
The statement quoted UNN Vice Chancellor Charles Igwe as saying the project was commendable and a historic achievement.
Professor Igwe 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 first in the development of electric vehicles in Nigeria.”
He charged the relevant authorities of the university to become more practically oriented and fully key in the NADDC vehicle electrification program for the benefit of the university and mankind in general.
Mr. Igwe also stressed the need to bridge the gap between energy production and productivity by building solar power farms as renewable sources of power generation in Nigeria.
The statement also quoted NADDC Director General Jelani Aliyu as saying the station at UNN was one of NADDC’s three electric vehicle pilot programs.
Jelani, represented by the Director of the Council’s Department of Industrial Infrastructure, Nua Omisanya, said that she aimed to develop research work in the area of vehicle electrification through the development of human capital.
“In addition to the council’s bid to promote electric vehicle research, design, and adoption, NADDC has developed three 15KVA solar-powered electric vehicle 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 CEO urged universities to seize the opportunity by stimulating further research and development of electric vehicles in Nigeria.
He said that charging stations had already been inaugurated in UDUS and UNILAG for the same purpose.
“With the emergence of new automotive technologies, the global auto industry is in a race for technological advancement, and the Nigerian auto industry cannot be left out, but it must be at the front of the race.
“Similarly, I urge the general public to embrace electric vehicles as an alternative and greener mode of transportation in Nigeria,” he said.
He News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the team from the university led by the vice chancellor test-drived the Hyundai Kona EV car deployed by the NADDC as part of the project.
Other dignitaries at the event were the Dean of the UNN College of Engineering and the President of the NADDC-UNN Center for Research and Development of Electric Vehicles, Ozoemena Ani, professor.
NADDC Deputy Director in Charge of Zonal Offices Susan Bisong-Taiwo and NADDC Southeast Zonal Coordinator Edith Oleribe also attended the event.
(YAYA)
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