Nigerian University, UNN Produces First Electric Car

The faculty of engineering team led by Ozoemena Ani, coordinator of the mechatronic group of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) has produced the first electric car in Nigeria.

Naija News understands that the car named Lion Ozumba 551 was named after the immediate past vice chancellor, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba.

Explaining the techniques of the car, Ozoemena Ani who led the team that produced the car said the vehicle was produced with 80 per cent local content materials.

Ani said the car could be charged in any electric socket and when fully charged would go a distance of 30 kilometres before another need to recharge.

“We used 80 per cent local material content in building this electric car.

“It cost us N800,000 to produce the car. When the car is fully charged it will go up to thirty kilometers before it can be recharged,” he said at the unveiling ceremony of the car.

The electric car was test-runed and driven around the UNN campus which attracted the admiration of many staff and students of the school.

The Director-General of National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Jelani Aliyu who witnessed the unveiling ceremony, commended the University of Nigeria for being the first to such an innovative electric car in the country.

He urged other universities in the country to emulate the standard of the UNN in promoting more innovations for the betterment of the country.

“NADDC on February 6, 2019 invited UNN, University of Lagos, Usuman Danfodo University and Matrological Institute and urged them to prepare a paper design on how to produce electric car in the country.

“The council is happy that UNN is the first to prepare a paper design and produced electrical car that has been unveiled and test-run today in the university.

“We urge other universities and higher institutions in the country to emulate innovation and technology spirit of UNN,” he said.