Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, Nigeria, has announced a new invention, an electric automated tricycle.
Dr Mukail Akinde, Rector of the Polytechnic, disclosed this while speaking when the Governing Council of the institution led by its Chairman, Alhaji Garba Gashua and the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) visited the innovation centre of the institution to inspect the newly invented electric automated tricycle on Friday.
The Rector said the institution is planning to have a mini assembly plant to produce the electric automated tricycle on an industrial scale.
He appealed to the Federal Government and corporate organisations, especially those in the manufacturing sector to aid in driving the commitment of the polytechnic to achieve commercial production of the new invention.
Akinde noted that launching commercial production of the tricycle would go a long way to reduce the cost of transportation and ease “the pressure on our foreign exchange and boost job opportunities for our teeming youths.”
With the invention, the Ilaro Polytechnic has distinguished itself as the first to produce this brand of tricycle, built and assembled at its innovation centre.
The Rector, for this reason, urged the Federal Government to inject more funds into the institution to bring more innovation and aid research and development.
Akinde said: “My expectation now is to see how we can take the tricycle to the industry. Let me also tell you that this is just the prototype, the main design will contain three people; the rider and two other people at the back.
“It will also contain a solar-powered panel that will be charging the tricycle. That has already been designed but we are looking for people to partner with like Innoson or whoever that will help us take the innovation to the industry for commercial production.
“If we cannot produce this tricycle in commercial quantity, it means that we shall be importing it and this will pile more pressure on our exchange rate. So we are asking for agencies that will support us and also fund this polytechnic so that we can do better.
“We want to have a mini assembly plant here in the way we can produce like 10 tricycles or more. I want to assure you that by next season we are producing three of these tricycles that we shall be using on our campus.
“The tricycle will contain three people and it will have a solar-powered panel that will be charging it. Another unique feature of this tricycle is that it can reverse unlike those we have outside there.”