By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
A vehicle designed by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) to eliminate carbon emissions associated with internal combustion engines and minimise acoustic noise and has been rolled out.
UNILAG, combined with Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV), forms the name UNILAG ZEV, which Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics and Research), Oluwole Familoni, says builds on efforts to stop toxic emissions.
The vehicle will also encourage indigenous engineering innovation, he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), quoted by Premium Times.
UNILAG ZEV is a 63 per cent hardware and 100 per cent software home-made (Akoka content) mechatronics automobile device.
Vice Chancellor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe inaugurated the UNILAG ZEV team in 2018, led by Samson Adeosun, a professor in the department of metallurgical and materials engineering.
Familoni, a professor of chemistry, told NAN that in line with the universal drive to minimise global warming, the vehicle was designed to eliminate carbon emissions from internal combustion engines as well as acoustic noise.
Adaptive power train
“In concept,” he said, “the UNILAG ZEV team developed an adaptive and reprogrammable power train (drive) system.
”Although the drive train functionality is presently exhibited with six-passenger Sport Utility Shuttle Van platform, it can be reconfigured to support 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 inter–city transits, the EMS is programmed to adaptively overwrite the shuttling mode and still minimise energy consumption.
“These user-specific features are absent on assembled imported Completely Knocked Down (CKD) components of electric vehicles that have been reported in Nigeria to date.”
Energy backup
UNILAG ZEV has an onboard auxiliary power supply system and Familoni said the energy backup is available to the driver via a “please take me home switch” on the dashboard.
It runs on an improvised refurbished Nickel Hydride battery that delivers up to five-kilometre range per charging cycle in the Campus Shuttle mode.
“The range is extendable to 350km at optimum average speed of 110k/hour at highway mode, when appropriate lithium ion battery is installed,” Familoni explained.
Ogundipe added that assembling the vehicle shows that UNILAG is deeply involved in demand-driving research, and will do more if given more support.
“We need more support for funding research,” he said.
Other members of the team include Akinfenwa Fashanu (systems engineering department), Mohammed Usman (chemical engineering), and Adeola Balogun (electrical and electronics engineering).
