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By Moses Akaigwe
The Federal Government’s National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), on Thursday, took another step towards enhancing the ongoing strategic transition from fossil fuel to pure electric power, with the launch of a solar-powered electric vehicle charging station. 
Located in the Engineering Faculty of the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, the solar-powered vehicle charging facility was inaugurated three months after a similar milestone in Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto, even as another is nearing completion in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Launching the station, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, said the project initiated by the NADDC was in tandem with government’s focus on designing and promoting advanced technology transfer and the development of sophisticated human capital.
He said programmes such as the charging station were “the lifeblood of everything we are trying to achieve. It is, after all, a proven fact among advanced nations, that the key to successful industrialization is strategic human capital and capacity development in state-of-the-art technologies.
“So, what does this mean for you? It means giving you the tools to build a future that is uniquely yours, to inspire in you the light of innovation and creativity that will enable you write a new chapter.
“This charging station has been developed by the NADDC in its efforts to promote applicable local solutions for Vehicle Electrification in Nigeria. It will offer students firsthand experience with the latest innovations in mobility and renewable power technology. It is strategized to be an effective platform for focused Research and Development into even more applicable Vehicle Electrification solutions for Nigeria and Africa. “
Jelani: NADDC committed
Director-general of the NADDC, Jelani Aliyu,said the council took note of today’s industrial revolution characterised by advanced technologies, robotics, AI, block chain technology and other incredible solutions.
“For the automotive sector it means vehicles that are highly embedded with ICT solutions, connectivity between the vehicles themselves, their users and the road infrastructure. It means vehicles that think for themselves and are, therefore, safer, more efficient and better for humanity.
“And most important of all is the revolutionary paradigm shift in the type of energy that would power these new generation of vehicles. We are now in the vehicle electrification era: cars, trucks and buses all powered by electricity. A strategic transition from fossil fuel (that is, petrol,/diesel) to pure electric power.
“This is important because the world can no longer afford to continue polluting the environment through the use of fossil fuel and its attendant emission of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane.
“That is why the NADDC, with the immeasurable support of the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, is committed to promoting the adoption, development, manufacturing and usage of advanced technology in the Nigerian Automotive sector.
“And so the question now is not what are we going to do, because we have already started.
Early this year, on February 5, the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment unveiled the first Nigerian assembled Electric Vehicle, the Hyundai Kona EV {at a ceremony in Abuja}, and today he is commissioning the NADDC Solar-Powered EV Charging Station, here at the University of Lagos. These developments add Nigeria to the league of nations actively committed to the protection of the environment through zero emissions vehicles. “
Facility’s technical details
The UNILAG EV charging station is 100 percent solar-powered. The installation consist of 60 PV Monocrystalline Solar arrays (panels), which have a capacity of 86.4 kilowatts per hour, there are 3 online-offline 5KVA Hybrid inverters synchronized together to give 15 KVA/48 WATTS, and we have 36 units of Deep Cycle Gel batteries with an output of 48 volts/19 and 0
The Power bank consists of 36 units of dry cell, deep cycle batteries of up to 95Kwh storage capacity.
The system provides ordinary 13A and 15A sockets that can support all types normal chargers. The station also provides a 7.4kw CCS fast charger and can support up to 11kw types.
The monitoring and evaluation team shall consist of experts from NADDC, University, Hyundai and relevant stakeholders.
Stallion CEO: It’s future of auto industry
To one of the guests of honour at the event and CEO of the Stallion Group, Anant Badjatya, electric vehicles and support facilities like the charging station in UNILAG, represent the future of the automotive industry.
Badjatya, who made a similar remark when his company presented the Hyundai Kona EV in Abuja a few months ago, said “the charging station may look small,” but is very important in the transition from fossil-fuel engine to EVs.
UNILAG VC, Ogundipe delighted.
Predictably, the Vice-Chancellor, of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin T. Ogundipe, was delighted that the NADDC chose UNILAG as one of those to host its EV charging station which many a guest agreed would provide the highly respected institution effective platform for advanced innovation in EVs and related renewable energy solutions.
Prof. Ogundipe remarked that locating the facility next to the research centre of the Engineering Faculty was most appropriate, stating that the decision was commendable because the university environment is where research is carried out.
“We are grateful, and we accept the gift with both hands,’” the VC enthused, assuring that the facility would be put into good use, even as he instantly invited the NADDC DG be part of the university’s Engineering Faulty as a visiting don.
‘Nigerian vehicles’ fair in October
Also commenting on the NADDC Solar-Powered EV Charging Station in UNILAG, the Chairman of the Council’s board, Senator Osita Izunaso, said one of the reasons for bringing the facity to the academic environment was to encourage the students to learn.
He announced that an auto fair exclusively for vehicles produced by assembly plants based in Nigeria, is expected to be held in October, 2021.
EVs: Hyundai Kona, Jet Mover, UNILAG prototype displayed
On display at the station were two units of Nigeria’s first locally assembled electric vehicle, the Hyundai Kona, which was first unveiled in Lagos by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Ditto for JET Mover, a light commercial vehicle [bus/van} launched in Lagos recently, also attracted attention.
One of the highlights of the commissioning ceremony was when the UNILAG VC ushered Otunba Adeniyi and the NADDC DG into the institution’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) electric vehicle, for a test-drive that took them to the nearby water-front, and back.
