James Samba is a young inventor hailing from Freetown, Sierra Leone who is trying to challenge one of the biggest problems in Sierra Leone state– air pollution. That is why in a small workshop he is creating a prototype of electric vehicle, which is completely made from redivided waste. The peculiar vehicle is intended to provide a means of eradicating the negative contribution of conventional transport systems in a city whose atmosphere is polluted with toxic gases.
Innovative Electric Vehicle Designed to Fight Pollution in Sierra Leone
Traffic in Freetown can be congested with minibus, taxis and three wheeled Keke carriers. This constant flow of vehicles which major depend on fuel increases air pollution within the city in terms of the environment and the people. Samba realized this problem at first hand, and thus, went in the search of one.
The idea of designing an electric vehicle of Samba came from his own loss. This product was created by Sahmba after he had lost his uncle to a respiratory illness occasioned by using pollutants from these vehicles. His objective is ensuring that no other people suffers losses like him to minimize on life harms caused by toxic release.
Samba’s electric “Keke is a small pink car like thing looking like a golf cart but can be used to transport people in the city with energy from clean renewable sources of energy. His low emission prototype is already on the streets of Freetown, which may be a solution to the emission issue and providing a framework of how sustainable transportation could be like.
According to the World Health Organization air pollution is among the most significant contributors to early mortality and is well illustrated by Samba’s project. With the situation still getting worse as more and more vehicles fill up the roads of Freetown, his idea remains the hope to a future of lesser pollutants in the atmosphere and a healthier generation to come.
Innovative Solar Power Solution for Electric Bikes in Sierra Leone
The Freetown, based inventor of an electric vehicle prototype; James Samba has moved a step further and innovated to promote sustainability. Having designed an electric wheelchair for his uncle who could not get around in public transport, Samba collaborated with the startup NEF Salone. Both of them are involved in the construction and distribution of three-wheel electric bicycles, which are environment friendly transport means in the region.
Building on his previous successes, Samba proposed an exciting addition to NEF Salone's electric bikes: small solar panels on top of roofs of these electric vehicles. This solution seeks to enhancing the bikes efficiency by incorporating solar power – renewable energy source for the increasing electric car market.
Since the establishment of NEF Salone, its operations as well as its development have been spearheaded by Emanuella Sandy, co-founder and operations manager. In a discussion she reveals that the company now uses 100 electric-powered three-wheel bikes and besides it has established three recharging post and battery swapping points for consumers. It means that the battery swap increases mobility, which allows clients to continue driving without waiting for a charging period.
Sandy says that electric vehicle is doing well with demand for the vehicles rising progressively in Sierra Leone. Another important aspect is the battery swap stations that keep the overall experience of using Ofuzi as a service very positive, providing drivers with an ability to get fresh batteries as soon as soon as the previous ones have been depleted. Although it was unable to solve the problem of the lack of charging infrastructure to support battery-powered cars, this system enables people to maintain transportation services and ride around the city without worrying about the status of their vehicles.
Samba has also seen the partnership as a way of creating educational opportunities for NEF Salone. This it has done by taking through practical training 60 mechanical engineering students from universities in Sierra Leone on how to assemble and maintain electric vehicles, thus have developed a human capital for the growing EV market in Sierra Leone. They are taking their future collaborations from presenting solutions that rely on solar energy to those that will be sustainable.
Challenges Facing Electric Vehicle Development in Sierra Leone
Challenges in the Development of Electric Vehicle (EVs) in Sierra Leone This paper aims to discuss the challenges that the development of electric vehicles (EVs) in Sierra Leone has faced. Even though now the thought of clean energy transportation is gradually becoming attractive, the associated infrastructure to support electric automobiles in the country is insufficient. They mentioned that the National Grid for electricity is unstable, and most parts of the country experience power blackouts that make charge units unpredictable.
This is because the country with its about six month rainy season is not conducive for the tapping of the sun energy which is crucial in charging electric vehicles. During this period the climate is cloudy and this means that there is limited sunshine hence those using solar panels to power their electric vehicles will realize that their rate of charging is relatively slow.
CIA World Factbook estimates that in 2024, only 20 percent of Sierra Leone households will have electricity connection. This limited access to power means that many areas do not have the facilities to charge electric vehicles on a regular basis thus complicating the prospects of creating a green mobility culture.
One of the major stakeholders that has emerged in the face of these challenges include NEF Salone which has opted for a cocktail of energy sources towards promoting electric vehicles. Besides, solar power, the company uses generators and the national grid to power the charging stations so that electric vehicles can continue functioning even when there is an interruption of power.
Nevertheless, the said attempts allow reducing the pros and cons to a certain degree; however, the energy limitations which persist in Sierra Leone prove the necessity of infrastructural advances. Mitigating these factors will be crucial for sustained growth of electric vehicle use in the country and for successful attainment of sound and environmentally friendly transport systems.
Cost-Effective Benefits of Solar-Powered Vehicles in Sierra Leone
James Samba also describes the fiscal benefits to be gained from solar car and tells that these are many opportunities for the financial production of the car through which the drivers will be able to gain big amounts of money from a reduction of the common expenses such as maintenance and fuel. Through using sunlight as the resource for energy instead of fuel, the drivers are in a position of not incurring high costs which are related to the use of the conventional vehicles. This brings convenience to the environmental conscious and at the same time saves the vehicle owners a lot of expenses in the long run.
However, the capital required to own a car from NEF Salone acts a bottleneck to many people in Sierra Leone. The price is around $5,000, and the average income in the country is much lower, thus it can hardly be considered an affordable purchase by the majority of those interested. This high cost is however a major factor that will hinder the EVs from penetrating the market through the use of solar power.
However, the acquisition is worth the cost to some drivers who pointed out the following. Thomas Kanu, a 25-year-old driver, said that the three-wheelers are solar panels can be convenient and generate good profits. There is no longer any problem of the fuel scarcities which are rather frequent in Sierra Leone; in addition, he sees the economic profitability of the vehicle in the long term.
Because of the low consumption of fuel and minimal expenses on repairs, the usage of solar-powered vehicles is beneficial for drivers who are ready to spend money on their purchase. To others it is expected to be the means toward achieving financial freedom and reduced dependence on unpredictable fuel resources. Such benefits are doing much to transform perception as regards the viability of electric vehicles in Sierra Leone.
There is still a problem with price but overall, the number of drivers willing to switch to electric-determined cars that use solar energy increases therefore, these vehicles may become more popular later on. If market enablers such as affordable financing and infrastructure that supports SES pillars are provided constantly the 3-wheelers solar power could be a sustainable solution to transportation in the region.
