The National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) in partnership with Mataji Express, has unveiled a new initiative to convert petrol-powered tricycles popularly known as keke into electric-powered tricycles in a bid to reduce costs for operators and promote clean energy.
Joseph Osanipin, director general of NADDC, while granting license to the firm in Abuja. described the move as a more affordable and clean way of transportation, “This initiative is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda led by President Tinubu. We are here to witness the conversion first-hand. Our goal is to explore cheaper and cleaner alternatives to power our vehicles”, he added.
The converted tricycles operate using five 12-volt, 20-amp batteries, generating 1.2 kilowatts of power. Charging these batteries under Nigeria’s Band A electricity tariff costs approximately 270–275 naira (£0.25) and provides a travel range of up to 90 kilometres.
The converted tricycles can travel a minimum of 95 kilometers and a maximum of 120 kilometers per charge. While the current model uses deep-cycle batteries, the company plans to transition to lithium batteries. Riders will be able to swap depleted batteries at designated stations rather than waiting for lengthy recharge times.
“Electric vehicles produce zero emissions, making them more environmentally friendly. This is a more efficient and cost-effective way to run transportation in Nigeria”, Osanipin stressed.
The converted tricycles operate using five 12-volt, 20-amp batteries, generating 1.2 kilowatts of power. Charging these batteries under Nigeria’s Band A electricity tariff costs approximately 270–275 naira (£0.25) and provides a travel range of up to 90 kilometres.
Representing Mataji Express, Dan Iliya, the company’s Coordinator, explained that the motivation behind the conversion was to ease the financial burden caused by high petrol prices.
“We import and assemble for now, and we have been licensed by NADDC to import and assemble electric vehicles in Nigeria. We have signed an MOU with our foreign partners to do this with about 40% local content,” Iliya said.
He further revealed that Mataji Express has developed an off-grid charging system and is planning to commence the production of lithium batteries locally.
According to him, the high cost of acquiring new electric tricycles led the company to explore the alternative of converting existing petrol-powered tricycles.
“We have already converted 18 tricycles as of February last year, and they operated successfully throughout the year without any faults. Now, we are seeking NADDC’s evaluation, assessment, and recommendation for our product,” Iliya added.
The cost of conversion is currently estimated at 1.6 million naira per tricycle. However, Iliya assured that the price is expected to drop as the company secures more partnerships and increases local production to 60%.
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