The Imo State Polytechnic Umuagwo, Imo Poly, and the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Futo, in collaboration with the Technical University of Munich, TUM, Germany, are working together to manufacture the first ever African made electric car, Africar.
The management of Imo Poly, Futo, and representatives from TUM disclosed this at a preliminary meeting held by the collaborating institutions at FUTO, on Tuesday, July 23,2013.
According to the planned program as disclosed by the leader of the two man team from TUM, Dr. Frank Diermeyer, the first part of the project will start in November when German students will visit Nigeria and start work with their Nigerian counterparts. They will that time familiarize themselves with the needs and situation in Nigeria to develop a concept for the vehicle that will fit the needs of the people.
This will last for two weeks before they return to Germany. Within that interval both parties will continue to communicate and share ideas on the project. Then in May 2014, they will do a presentation on it in Germany for two weeks before the Nigerian students will come over to Germany where they will start work on the prototype. This is the first phase called the Global Drive.
The second phase will commence when the first has been successfully completed. The vehicle, according to plans and expectations of the collaborating institutions, will be tailored to suit the Nigerian geo-physical and economic conditions.
