UNILAG test-runs zero emission vehicle
The vehicle was designed to eliminate carbon emissions associated with internal combustion engines, as well as minimise acoustic noise when in operation.
The institution’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor, (Academics and Research), Oluwole Familoni, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.
According to him, the production is an invaluable addition to the university’s efforts at preventing the release of toxic emissions to the environment.
He said the initiative was also to encourage indigenous engineering innovation.
According to Mr Familoni, UNILAG ZEV is a 63 per cent hardware and 100 per cent software home-made (Akoka content) mechatronics automobile device.
He noted that the Vice-Chancellor of the university, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, had inaugurated the UNILAG Zero Emission Vehicle team in 2018.
The team is led by Samson Adeosun, a professor in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering.
Mr Familoni, a professor pf Chemistry, told NAN that in line with the universal drive to minimise global warming, the vehicle was designed to eliminate carbon emissions associated with internal combustion engines, as well as minimise acoustic noise when in operation.
”In concept, 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.