Tambuwal: Nigeria’s first locally-assembled electric vehicle will revolutionise lifestyle

Aminu Tambuwal, governor of Sokoto, says Nigeria’s first locally-assembled electric car will revolutionise lifestyle of citizens in the country.

He spoke while receiving the vehicle, Hyundai Kona, at the Government House, Sokoto, the state capital.

The electric vehicle is part of items on exhibition at the ongoing national trade fair for Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states.

The vehicle was assembled by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) under the leadership of Sokoto-born Jelani Aliyu, its director-general.

Aliyu is an erstwhile America’s General Motors designer of 2004 Pontiac G6 and 2010 Chevrolet Volt.

Tambuwal said the vehicle will trigger a cultural revolution which will affect the daily lives of Nigerians.

“As global scientific achievements push towards zero use of fossil oil, the country is going to have many similar technological breakthroughs,” he said.

“The electric car will revolutionise the way homes are made and kept, roads are built and managed alongside the evolution of many other material culture, thus generally affecting the people’s lives.”

In February, the electric vehicle was unveiled in Lagos.

During the first presentation by Stallion Motors in November 2020, Anant Badjatya, chief executive officer of the company, said “the vehicle can travel 482 km after 9.35 hours of charging”.

In 2019, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) initiated a locally-assembled electric car christened Lion Ozumba 551. However, the project is yet to be unveiled.