Electric vehicle manufacturing isn’t limited to big countries with huge auto industries. At Makerere University in Uganda, a group of engineering students and their professors showed they can do it too (and with fewer resources).
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It’s called the Kiira EV, and it isn’t fast or flashy, although it has the impressive ability to climb a 55-degree slope. But it was built with most of its parts made in Uganda. The principal investigator of the project, electrical engineering professor Sandy Tickodri-Togboa, told local news outlets that the car can charge in about four hours on a typical 13-amp house current. It can reach 200 kilometers per hour (about 124 mph) and run for 80 kilometers (about 50 miles). It seats two people. Tickodri-Togboa said the car will likely sell at about $10,000 to $15,000 -- steep for Ugandans, but about a quarter to a third the price of an electric car in the United States.
The team has plans for more than a Ugandan version of a Smart Car; they're working on an electric bus. Since buses are what most people use in Uganda, producing them would make a big dent in the country’s oil usage.
The car needs some work, however. It looks a bit jerky when it accelerates, and it could use a few accessories (such as a horn) before it can function as road-ready. But this car was built by a group of 25 college students and professors in a research lab. That’s pretty impressive -- and should give automakers in their country pause.
Tags: Auto, Cars, Electric Cars
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