FG opens 1st solar-powered Electric Vehicle charging station in Sokoto

The federal government has commissioned the first solar-powered Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station by the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) at the Usmanu Danfodio University, Sokoto (UDUS).

This came a few months after the unveiling of the first locally assembled EV in Nigeria, which is the Hyundai KONA Electric.

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According to the Director-General of the Council, Jelani Aliyu, at the launch on Thursday, an EV charged for 22 hours can run 482 kilometres.

“What has just been commissioned today is the nation’s first 100 per cent Solar Powered Electric Vehicle Charging Station.

“100% renewable energy, 100% clean energy to power 100% Electric Vehicles.

“Absolutely zero emissions, zero waste: from energy generation to energy utilization.

“This Charging station is an important component of our national Vehicle Electrification Programme.

“We are collaborating with three universities: UDUS; the University of Lagos and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka,” he explained.

He said the collaboration with academia is important because it is not just a charging station but a platform and a springboard for advanced research and development.

The charging station is composed of arrays of installed solar panels with 86.4 kilowatts per hour capacity.

They are then coupled to three online-offline hybrid inverters with 5-kilovolt ampere (KVA) each and synchronized to give 15KVA/48watts output.

The system’s energy storage is made up of 36 units of deep-cycle gel batteries with an output of 48 volts/1980 amperes.

Jelani also said the station has two charging levels; the first is the High-Level Charging System (Fast Charging System) which takes 22 hours for a full charge and the vehicle can run for 482 kilometres.

The second level charging system takes nine hours for a full charge.

The automotive council boss noted that a protective device is also installed on the system to give total protection to both the equipment and the cars to be charged.

There is a provision of highly flexible software that gives room for locking and unlocking the charging system with the advantage of having charging schedules for each vehicle, he added.

Jelani also lauded the Vice-Chancellor, UDUS, Prof Lawal Suleiman Bilbis, for the support, especially the donation of land.

“We look forward to an exciting Research and Development collaboration with the university.

“I urge the students to see this as an unparalleled opportunity to fully understand vehicle electrification and all related renewable energy technologies so as to develop better and better solutions for the betterment of Nigeria.”