The University of Lagos is test-running Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) it initiated in 2018.

The institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research), Oluwole Familoni, disclosed this on Sunday in Lagos.

The initiative also encouraged indigenous engineering innovation, with 63 per cent hardware and 100 per cent software home-made (Akoka content) mechatronics automobile device, said Mr Familoni.

He noted that Vice-Chancellor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe inaugurated the UNILAG Zero Emission Vehicle team in 2018.

The team is led by Samson Adeosun of the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering.

Mr Familoni further explained, ”In concept, the UNILAG ZEV team developed an adaptive and reprogrammable power train (drive) system. Although the drive train functionality is presently exhibited with a six-passenger Sport Utility Shuttle Van platform, it can be reconfigured to support an 18-seater commuter bus.

”In its exhibition form, the drive train Energy Management System (EMS) is programmed to deliver ultra-low-power supply to realise maximum range per battery charging cycle at campus shuttling speed of less than 20km//hour.”

On highways, during intra- or intercity transits, the EMS “is programmed to overwrite the shuttling mode and still minimise energy consumption adaptively.”

He added that the UNILAG ZEV came with an onboard auxiliary power supply system. The chemistry professor further stated that the energy backup was available to the driver via the ‘please take me home switch’ on the dashboard.

The vehicle runs on an improvised refurbished Nickel Hydride battery that delivers up to a five-kilometre range per charging cycle when operated in campus shuttle mode.

”The range is extendable to 350km at an optimum average speed of 110k/hour at highway mode when an appropriate lithium-ion battery is installed,” Mr Familoni said.

(NAN)