NITT set to produce made-in-Nigeria electric vehicle

The Nigerian Institute of Transport Technology (NITT) has set up a 22-member project team to develop an electric vehicle.

Olorogun-John Inojeharho, chairman of the NITT governing council, said this during the inauguration of the team in Zaria on Thursday.

Rotimi Amaechi, minister of transportation, had said in September 2019 that the NIIT has all it takes to design made-in-Nigeria vehicles.

NIIT, in March 2021, said it was working towards developing alternative fuels (bio-fuel and hydrogen fuel) and electric vehicles, adding that it was set to inaugurate an electric tricycle developed by the institute.

Inojeharho said the project is aimed at reducing emissions and pollution.

“The setting up of this project team was in compliance with the directives of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi in 2019,” he said.

He urged the committee to work relentlessly towards achieving this feat to justify the confidence conferred in them and put NITT on the world map as an organisation which has converted fuel vehicle to electric vehicle.

Inojeharho said the team is expected to develop a blueprint that will guide the evolution of the NITT model of electric vehicle, evolve the technology/design framework of the NITT model of electric vehicle.

He said the team are to develop a prototype of the NITT electric vehicle and promote the NITT model of electric vehicle in the Nigerian automobile industry, determine the budgetary allocation to support the new project.

The team will also identify capacity development requirements for the sustenance of the new project and establish the necessity or technical support or partnership with other institutions or research bodies.

Bayero Salih-Farah, director-general of NIIT, acknowledged the task ahead, noting that it would require a lot of support from the institute governing council as well as the federal government in terms of resources and technical know-how.

In February 2021, the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), unveiled Nigeria’s first locally-assembled electric vehicle — Hyundai Kona.