Nigerian entrepreneur Mustapha Gajibo has turned mini-buses with internal combustion engines into solar-powered electric cars.
Mustapha has dismantled 10 petrol engines from local mini-buses and replaced them with batteries powered by solar panels.
The electric mini-buses are claimed to have been operating for one month with a cruising range of 100 kilometers for a single charge.
“We are building 12-seater electric mini-buses that can cover a distance of up to 200 kilometers on a single charge,” said Mustapha Gajibo at his workshop.
According to him, his workshop can produce 15 electric mini-buses a month. Mustapha confirmed the launch of the electric mini-buses will take place before the end of May 2022.
Mustapha Gajibo uses locally made components tailored to the needs of electric cars in order to lower costs. “This bus will be the first in Nigeria.”
Reuters reported on Monday, May 16, 2022, that Africa is an exporter of crude oil. Several countries on the continent provide large subsidies to the public to use gasoline.
Electricity facilities are also uneven which makes it a barrier for automotive manufacturers to invest in electric cars there. But Mustapha Gajibo had a different thought.
The 30-year-old youth from the Maiduguri area did not complete his college education. Even so, he believes electric cars can develop in Nigeria.
