The Hyundai Kona is the first 100%-electric car ever to be assembled in Nigeria. It is said to have a range of approximately 480km on a single full charge (9.35 hours).
Unveiled in 2021, it is being assembled by Stallion Motors at its assembly plant in Ojo, Lagos State (the old Volkswagen Plant in Lagos).
Interesting to note that the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) – an agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria – is now collaborating with the engineering departments of three Nigerian universities — Usman Danfodio University, Sokoto; University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the University of Lagos — to launch the pilot phase of an Electric Vehicle Programme.
The goal is to build Nigerian capacity to provide EVs. NADDC is starting by constructing solar power charging stations in these three Universities.
This EV Programme is a component of the larger
National Automotive Industry Development Plan (NAIDP) of the Federal Government.
Recall that Jelani Aliyu, Director-General of the NADDC, until his appointment as DG, was a Lead Exterior Designer at General Motors, and famously the designer of the Chevy Volt.
Also recall that in 2019, the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), produced a prototype EV (a 5-seater Electric Car) named “Lion Ozumba 551″ (named after a former VC of the University).