Can Electric Cars Work in Nigeria?

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by Olamilekan Akanni

An electric car is propelled by one or more electric motors, using energy stored in rechargeable batteries.

When we talk about electricity, Nigeria is among the countries that do not use electricity for up to 12 hours. Only individuals above the average line margin have access to enough electricity, leaving those in the rural area with little or no electricity.

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) statistics, the total Nigerian primary energy supply was 118,325 Kiloton of Oil Equivalent (ktoe) — excluding electricity trade — in 2011. Biomass and waste dominated by 82.2%. Only a small share of energy supply is by Renewable energy. For instance, hydropower only accounted for 0.4%. Wind and solar are also utilized, but at an insignificant level at present.

With a share of 2% in the total final energy consumption, electricity remains a marginal energy source in Nigeria. Furthermore, the total electricity consumed by an average household is only 9% of their entire energy consumption. The gap between rural and urban electrification rates is lower than in other West African countries. Still, it remains significant (Rural: 35% and Urban: 62%).

The statistic above shows no access to enough electricity, so introducing electric cars may be challenging. Electrical factors are hindering the use of electric cars in Nigeria. An electric car needs to be charged to a significant percentage for its full potentials and a long time of use, which could take a lot of time.

Also, it takes longer to charge an electric vehicle than one running on fossil fuel. The speed at which a car can recharge depends on the charging station’s charging speed and the vehicle’s capacity to receive a charge. Yet, electric vehicle charging plugs are not universal throughout the world.

Europe uses the CCS standard, while CHAdeMO is used in Japan, and a GB/T standard is used in China.

Although using electric cars has several benefits (e.g., reducing air pollution) over conventional internal combustion engine automobiles, they do not directly emit pollutants.

Other than electricity, some other factors affect the use of electric cars in Nigeria. They include the following:

Range

The majority of electric cars are fitted with a display of the expected range. This may consider many factors of how the vehicle is being used and what the battery is powering. However, since factors vary over routes, the estimate can vary from the achieved range.

Energy Efficiency

Electric motors are more efficient than internal combustion engines in converting stored energy. However, they are not equally efficient at all speeds.

Risk of Fire and High rate of Accident

Like its internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts, electric vehicle batteries may catch fire after a mechanical failure or crash. Studies show that Nigeria has a high rate of road traffic injury and death rates at 4120 per 100 000 populations and 160 per 100 000 people, respectively. This road traffic injury rate is the highest recorded in any single study in Africa.

Vehicle Safety

The weight of the batteries usually makes an EV heavier than a comparable gasoline vehicle. In a collision, the occupants of a heavy vehicle will, on average, suffer fewer and less severe injuries than the occupants of a lighter vehicle. Therefore, the additional weight brings safety benefits to the occupant despite harming the car’s performance.

Lifespan

As with all batteries, electric car batteries may degrade over long periods, especially if they are frequently overcharged.

Operating Cost

According to a study in 2018, the average fueling cost of an electric vehicle in the United States is $485 per year, as opposed to an internal combustion engine’s $1,117 per year. Estimated gasoline costs varied from $993 in Alabama to $1,509 in Hawaii. Electric prices ranged from $372 in Washington to $1,106 in Hawaii.

Infrastructure

Battery electric vehicles are most commonly charged from the power grid overnight at the owner’s house, provided they have their charging station. The electricity on the grid is, in turn, generated from a variety of sources such as coal, hydroelectricity, and nuclear Power sources such as photovoltaic solar cell panels, micro-hydro, or wind may also be used and are promoted because of concerns regarding global warming.

Charging stations can have various charging speeds, with slower charging for houses and more powerful charging stations on public roads and areas for trips.

Psychological Factors

Most people have driven internal combustion engine (ICE) cars for the past century, making them feel common, familiar, and low risk. EV technology has been around for over a century, and modern EVs have been on the market for decades. However, multiple studies show that various psychological factors impair EV adoption.

Range Anxiety

Gary L. Brase’s 2019 study found that the dominant fear hindering EV adoption was range anxiety. ICE car drivers are accustomed to going on trips without planning refueling stops. They may worry that an EV will lack the range to reach their destination or the closest charging station. Range anxiety has been shown to diminish among drivers who have gained familiarity and experience with EVs.

Identity Concerns

Brase’s study also found that “people view driving an EV as an action taken by those with “stronger attitudes in favor of environmental and energy security” or by those that are “attracted to the novelty and status associated with being among the first to adopt new technology” Thus, people may be resistant to EV ownership if they do not consider themselves environmentalists or early adopters of new technology, or do not want others to think of them in this way.

Conclusion

There are underlying factors that we need to tackle in Nigeria if electric cars are to be used. And they are:

1. We need to check the rate of electricity availability needs to improve, and the cost of electricity in Nigeria has to drop.
2. The government has to help in the provision of electricity infrastructure for electric cars to charge.
3. Stakeholders should be ready to support the move.
4. Nigerians should be properly enlightened on the benefits of electric cars to the nation and the world.