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By Moses Akaigwe
Nigeria’s efforts to transit from fossil fuel to vehicle electrification, has continued to resonate with the recent award by auto journalists to a promoter and assembler of electric range of buses in the country.
Recently in Lagos, Jet Systems Automobile Industries Limited received the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) ‘Electric Vehicle Company of the Year’ award.
Reacting to the award, Sanjay Rupani, the Director of Sales and Marketing stated, “We are delighted to have received the Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) award. We interpret this recognition as a challenge to accomplish more in terms of development and innovation”.
Rupani also disclosed that Jet Systems has articulated ambitious plans to ensure that in the years ahead that the transformation in the e- mobility space is intensified across Nigeria.
Part of these plans he said is to promote the adoption of e-mobility in Nigeria and educate the public on electric vehicles (EVs).
“We will also encourage relevant stakeholders, such as government at various levels, financiers, investors, the general public, and the other assemblers, to come together and develop the policies that will promote the systems,” the Director of Sales and Marketing remarked.
Jet Systems Automobile Industries Limited also plans to introduce more products that would meet different needs of mobility options at a budget-friendly price, in addition to innovating to provide energy solutions as it relates to electric vehicles.
Sanjay Rupani identified the target audience of Jet Electric Vehicles in the country to include all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of government, corporate entities, schools, transport companies and other logistics support providers.
He expressed hope that some of the impediments towards vehicle electrification in Nigeria such epileptic power source, high acquisition cost is high, lack of government initiatives to encourage and promote the adoption of EV and inadequate charging infrastructure can be addressed.
In his reaction, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the company, Oluwemimo Osanipin, reflected on some of the constraints facing automotive assemblers in Nigeria. He identified such bottlenecks to include inconsistent government policies as it relates to the auto industry, as well as poor infrastructure, notably inadequate power supply.
The COO also frowned at the cost of funding in the country which he noted is extremely high at ay about 28 percent annually.
Osanipin regretted that apart from the current duty structure in the country that is unfavorable for assemblers, the hydra-headed problems of multiple taxes, porous border that facilitates the influx of gray importation remains a major concern that hampers auto assemblers bottomline.
The COO declared that the expectations of electric vehicle assemblers from the Federal Government should be to initiate policies that will encourage people to invest in e-mobility and also improve the use of EVs.
Furthermore, he wants government to offer consumers and assemblers (both financial and non-financial) incentives that will aid the speedy adoption of EVs. He called on the government to improve the policy that supports local raw material production and infrastructure.
Jet Systems has made a name with its locally-made, and eco-friendly electric vehicle.
Sometimes ago, Jet Motor saw the need to prepare the country and the continent for the future of mobility, in a bid to preserve the environment as the world makes a gradual shift from combustion engines to electric vehicles.
The COO said it gives concern that, while the rest of the world is progressively phasing out combustion engine vehicles, Nigeria still depends heavily on fossil fuels. This explains the commitment of Jet Motor to preparing the country and the continent for the future of mobility.
“We wanted to create a global product that is built to last. We were obsessed with getting it right because, if our vehicles can work well on Nigerian and African roads, they can succeed anywhere in the world. Generally, our testing has led us to see what is best for the Nigerian and African market, and that is what we have built with Jet Mover,”
Founded in 2018 by a team of passionate professionals, Jet Motor Company started with its flagship brand, the Jet Mover, a multipurpose van to push the adoption of locally made vehicles.
The company’s main aim was to go into the production of electric vehicles from the start. After about three years of research, testing and iterative development, the company was finally able to achieve its objective with Jet EV.
