The deployment of electric vehicles in the Northeast region has been approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This will help cut transportation charges nationwide and facilitate mobility.
President Muhammadu Buhari gave the go-ahead at a meeting with NEDC officials on Wednesday in Abuja's State House. The delegation was headed by Mohammed Alkali, the commission's chief executive officer and managing director.
According to Alkali, who spoke to reporters from the state house, the NEDC decided to deploy electric vehicles throughout the six states in the region after conducting a comprehensive study of the relative merits of vehicles fueled by compressed natural gas in the area.
The NEDC MD/CEO has dropped hints that the Commission is planning to manufacture state-wide modular solar power systems.
He stressed that this would act as a backup power source for the electric vehicles in the event of a power loss.
Although we are cognizant of the difficulties, we are also contemplating the possibility of setting up a five or ten kilowatt-hour (KVA) solar-powered grid on its own as a backup in the event that the power supplies prove inadequate. There may be a couple of bumps on the road when we get rolling, but we've already planned to ensure that our station will be powered by a combination of traditional generating plants and a separate solar power system.
When deployed, a specific percentage of the e-vehicles would be powered by this, he noted.
As you may remember, the president has ordered that all automobiles be either compressed natural gas (CNG) or electric.
Additionally, the development commission examined the relative merits of compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric vehicles as part of a comprehensive regional investigation (covering six states in all).
We found that while compressed natural gas (CNG) can be effective in the northeast, electric vehicles (EVs) are the superior choice for a number of reasons. First, we intend to build statewide modular solar power units that can supply electricity to this share of e-vehicles. His addition was made.
For the states in the Northeast, Alkali has chosen three types of e-mobility: e-buses, e-tricycles, and e-taxes.
According to him, the e-buses that are meant for intrastate routes can carry no less than forty people at once.
The NEDC MD/CEO revealed that the Commission had shown the President prototypes of e-taxes and highly upgraded e-tricycles.
It can be grouped into three types. For intrastate travel only, not interstate, there is the option of using e-buses, which have a minimum capacity of forty persons. In addition, I brought along a few tax samples; each one can accommodate a private passenger and a driver. A tricycle that had been heavily modified was also brought in.
In contrast to the typical tricycles seen in the Northeast and other parts of the country, which typically seat three passengers and four drivers, ours can accommodate eight passengers plus the driver, is completely covered, and is incredibly convenient.
We consulted our engineer to make structural adjustments to the tricycle based on our knowledge of the expected load and number of riders. The larger tires, prime, and other features become apparent upon subsequent inspection. Moreover, while engaging in that
According to Alkali, the Commission has taken into account the fact that the falsification has the potential to communicate locally in the North East and beyond in the region when considering the content.
He mentioned that preparations are being made to support the e-mobility when it is fully implemented by establishing a 10KVA solar power grid.
An off-grid solar power backup plan is already in the works.
When asked about the Northeast's potential, Alkali responded that the commission has created extensive master plans covering eleven pillars that would activate the initiative's action plan to its fullest extent.
Before the last phase of activating the e-vehicles in the Northeast states of Nigeria, the Commission would engage stakeholders, particularly road transport workers, to incorporate their concerns and advise, as announced by the MD/CEO of NEDC.
"We will actively involve stakeholders, particularly road transport workers, to incorporate their feedback and suggestions," Alkali emphasized.
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