In the world of EVs, Tesla cars are the most predominant. Now the question is if Tesla cars are that popular, why are we not seeing them in Nigeria?
Tesla Inc., founded in 2003, is the producer of Tesla cars. Tesla cars are all-electric vehicles, meaning that, when you own a Tesla car, you no longer need to worry about hitting the fuel or gas station again. Just like regular cars require fuel/gas to work, Tesla cars are powered by electricity. The development and release of Tesla cars have shown that the world no longer needs to depend on fossil fuels to be mobile. As the world moves towards clean energy generation and zero-emission, Tesla cars which are all EVs have become widely accepted by many people across the world. There are different models of Tesla cars produced which includes Tesla Model S, X, Y and 3.
However, with this growing acceptance of electric vehicles like Tesla, it can only make a typical Nigerian wonder why am I not seeing this vehicle in Nigeria. Here are the top 3 reasons why you haven’t seen Tesla cars on Nigerian roads;
Charging Station
As I mentioned earlier, electric cars are powered differently from conventional vehicles. To power an electric car, you need to get the battery charged. In most cases, charging an electric vehicle like Tesla can require long hours of charging depending on how much power you want. Two options are available- you can either charge at home using the specified charging cable or use a public charging station. Either way, there has to be a stable power supply for anyone to enjoy a Tesla. Tesla has over 12,000 supercharger stations across the world, but none yet in Nigeria.
It’s no news that the Nigerian power system is characterized by an epileptic power supply. Very few Nigerians have access to a stable power supply of even 6 hours. Some areas are even off-grid and have not gotten electricity for weeks. This implies that any Nigerian who buys a Tesla might find it difficult to charge his/her Tesla car. In addition, there are no functional public charging stations available yet to power electric vehicles like Tesla in Nigeria.
Late Adopter Of Technology
One challenge with Nigeria is that the country is a late adopter of technology. For instance, when mobile phones were invented in 1973, it took Nigeria about 30 years for them to be used in Nigeria. And perhaps, an additional 10 years before it became popular in every Nigerian home. The same thing happened with smartphones. Android was first invented in 2008 and Apple iPhone was first made in 2007. But in Nigeria, it took about 7-8 years before smartphones like Apple and Android became ubiquitous. Prior to this time, Nigerians were still in love with Nokia at a time when other parts of the world were already using Android and iPhones.
With this current approach to embracing new technology in Nigeria, we can easily understand why electric cars like Tesla are not yet mainstream. A few years from now, it’s possible more Tesla cars will be seen on Nigerian roads.
Technically Know-How
The configuration and assemblage of the parts of an electric vehicle like Tesla are quite different from that of gasoline-powered vehicles. This means that anyone who would service and maintain a Tesla or any electric vehicle, the person must have relevant training and skills related to EVs. In the same vein, operating (driving) an EV is not exactly the same as driving an electric car.
Currently in Nigeria, the technical know-how needed to maintain and operate an electric car is very limited. This makes it difficult for anyone considering buying a Tesla to have a rethink.
CONCLUSION
Like other electric vehicles, Tesla cars are powered by electricity. Although other countries of the world have adopted EVs as major means of road transport, Nigeria is still lagging behind because of three major issues. These issues include lack of charging stations, poor technical know-how and low adoption of new technology. While certain Nigerians can afford to buy a Tesla, they won’t want to spend their hard-earned money buying a vehicle they cannot enjoy in Nigeria.
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5 Comments
All the points mentioned are even the issues of using Electric Vehicles in Nigeria, when combustion engine vehicle came to the country, learn how to was quickly adopted by brilliant technical personals, now talk of electrical aspect of the vehicles, I’m sure that won’t be a problem when it come to Nigerians, the major thing is cost of charging the batteries to power the vehicle which would very high.
Hey Writer,
You may have not seen a Tesla in Nigeri but I have, matter of fact I got a video if you want it (I hope I haven’t deleted it).
You having been seeing and not you having being seeing.
Valid points. Although there are already some Teslas in Nigeria. Lagos to be precise. Probably in some other states too.
Another point like #GodWithUs mentioned is the cost of charging. And maintenance
Valid points. Although there are already some Teslas in Nigeria. Lagos to be precise. Probably in some other states too.
Another point like #GodWithUs mentioned is the cost of charging. And maintenance