The Federal Government, through the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), has acquired locally-assembled electric vehicles with its charging infrastructure from Nigerian mobility technology company, Jet Motors, a move that may signal the future of mainstream mobility in the country.
Director-General of NADDC, Jelani Aliyu, said that the government is set to put a policy in place to scale up the production of Electric Vehicles working in partnership with local automotive companies and other relevant stakeholders.
Aliyu said this when Jet Motors presented two locally produced electric vehicles in Abuja.
He informed that the NADDC would, in the next two weeks; ratify the Electric Vehicle Development Plan, which is a set of fiscal and non-fiscal incentives and other programs such as training of mechanics to support local production of electric vehicles.
“We will ratify the document in the next two weeks and after, we will get the buy-in of every relevant stakeholder, put it before senior leadership and once it is approved, implementation will begin,” he said.
The DG said the document contains a time frame, certain percentages, and targets that must be met, but the ultimate goal is that by 2060, Nigeria is net zero.
“In terms of local production, we are looking at, at least 30 percent local production of electric vehicles, and we are looking at a gradual phase in the increase of several production of electric vehicles in the country; and orders and mandates for the purchase and patronage of EVs by the federal, state, and local government and even companies that are working on government contracts will be mandated to buy these type of vehicles,” he said.
“Today they have presented the electric van as 100 percent electric, NADDC is very proud of the accomplishment and will continue to give it all the necessary support. This is very vital especially now very cost-effective sustainable solutions are required to ease the challenges because of the higher cost of petrol and diesel.
‘So, this type of development is really what we need to concentrate on, an indigenous vehicle, with local content in terms of actual physical products, and intellectual property that goes in the development of a type of vehicle. A vehicle that has been developed to be in tune with extreme conditions in Nigeria. These vehicles will offer a much more cost-effective transportation system. The era of EVs has come, the NADDC will give maximum support so that mass production is enabled in Nigeria, such that in every nook and cranny of the country, Nigerians will be able to benefit from it,” the DG said.
Aliyu also noted that Nigeria has renewable energy and natural resources to power EVs, such as lithium for the bathers and petrochemicals for producing composites that the vehicles need.
He enthused that local companies will have a bigger opportunity to sell their vehicles under AfCFTA.
The DG, also explained that the NADDC, working with the private sector will ensure the deployment of charging points across highways and road networks.
Speaking, the COO of Jet Motors, Oluwemimo Osanipin, said electric vehicles were both the present and future of post-petrol mobility in Nigeria, presenting a reliable and sustainable alternative worth investing in since they are more environment friendly, low maintenance cost, and do not require servicing.
He noted that even though the initial cost of acquisition is higher, it is cheaper to use in the long run. “Within two years, you will recoup the additional cost used in procuring the vehicles. If you look at the cost of maintenance for a normal commercial bus for 260km every day, you will spend approximately N1.5 million on fuelling and maintenance, with EVs, you’re doing zero,” he said.
The CEO, while noting that a major challenge is energy supply, stated that Jet Motors is in talks with some stakeholders to invest in the energy sector to produce the energy, even if from the national grid.
He said if the government provides incentives, there will be an investment in energy and charging stations.
He also said that Jet Motors is talking to at least six state governments, and in the next few months, there will be EVs in other states.
Source: The Guardian
