Your next car could be built in Africa

For a number of years, Africa has largely been a consumer and never a producer when it comes to cars. However, recently, africa-facts.org, an online portal, highlighted some cars that companies in different African countries are working on to answer common problems such as rough roads as well as limited power supply. Here, we highlight some of them.

The wind and solar powered car – Nigeria
It might seem like it is far from ready but with technology advancement, there is hope for better. According to trueactivist.com, Segun Oyeyiola, an engineering student at Nigeria’s Obagemi Awolowo University, redesigned an old Volkswagen Beetle to run using only renewable energy sources— wind and solar powers.
Oyeyiola put a solar panel on top of the car, and a wind turbine in the engine. The majority of the work was completed using scraps donated by family and friends and the remaining cost amounted to an estimated Shs22.2m ($6,000).
He said he plans to keep improving his project, particularly the battery, which requires 4-5 hours to completely charge. He has also added a GPS device that measures car health, as well as a strong suspension system to hold the weight of the battery and turbine.
According to firstcompany.com, Oyeyiola developed this car to help in the reduction of carbondioxide emissions going to the atmosphere and their effects.

The KIIRA EV SMACK, Uganda
Uganda has in the recent past tried out its luck in manufacturing a car. The project that was run under Kiira Motors and is in the near future yet to become a reality, has seen a KIIRA EV Smack as its second project. The Kiira EV does not require using a key. All it uses is a push-to-start button that is located in the position where the normal right hand drive car key is inserted.
The car that will originally be in black is designed with a bluetooth system that allows a driver to connect to their phone or music handset. Its rims and the steering wheel are also customised with the image of the crested crane. It being a car made in Uganda, the national symbol is believed to be the best way of showing this. Its fuel tank has a capacity of 60 litres and it also comes with an electro dynamic systems controller.
It also has sensors that help the driver while reversing in that when it reverses closer to an obstacle, the warning alarm makes a fast and loud sound.

The Turtle – Ghana
As of 2014, this car was still parked in front of le Bel Ordinaire, a contemporary art centre in Pau, Ghana, according to makery.info.
Assembled by local craftsmen, this car is 100 per cent Ghanaian.
The journey begun when Dutch artist Melle Smets and sociologist Joost van Onna decided to follow the trace of waste from Western auto parts.
They found themselves in a Suame Magazine in Ghana, where this waste is dealt with and sold by some 200,000 highly-specialised technicians in 12,000 informal workshops.
They noticed that certain spare parts serve totally unexpected purposes and that a large recycling economy was developing there.
According to designindaba.com, in a place where craftsmanship, knowledge of recycling, ingenuity and self-sufficiency rule everyday life, Smets and Van Onna collaborated with local, resourceful craftsmen and were inspired to create a new, characteristic African car: the SMATI Turtle 1.
The car took its name from its characteristics including slow but steady speed, its basic and strong mechanics and its protective bodywork.
Once the car was built in early 2013, the Turtle went on a promotional tour of Europe to stimulate cooperation in the field of professional training since the two men intend to continue the adventure with their new friends and build a Turtle 2.
According to africa-facts.org, it combines the looks of a jeep and a truck.

Kantanka - Ghana
Made by Kantanka Automobile Company Ltd, it comes in several versions of both salon and four wheel drives - Kantanka Nkunimdie SUV, Kanatanka Omana Pickup, Kantaka Onantefuo 4x4 pickup/SUV - Kantanka Onantefo SUV Explorer 6, Kantanka Opasuo, Otumfo SUV, Kantanka K71 small SUV, Kantanka Amoanimaa, Kantanka Mensah.
Founded by Apostle Dr Ing Kwadwo Safo Kantanka, the company was incorporated with the main objective to research into the manufacturing of automotive components and their combination with other parts outsourced from component suppliers to form a complete built unit.
According to africa-facts.org, the Kantanka vehicles supposedly designed for Ghana’s local conditions are, in fact, indistinguishable from those that have been sold in China for years. Kantanka’s CEO has admitted to working with a secret Chinese partner, and one Chinese company, Chongqing Big Science & Technology, has already claimed responsibility for Kantanka’s entire factory operation. These cars cost between Gsh80,000 and Gsh170,000 (about Shs62m-Shs132m).

Innoson- Nigeria
These are manufactured by Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company whose founder and developer is Chief Dr. Innocent Ifediaso Chukwuma. According to africa-facts.org, they are the first technology company to manufacture cars in Nigeria.
Acording to naijauto.com, the vehicles produced by Innoson include Innoson FOX, Innoson UMU, Innoson G5, Innoson G6, Innoson G80, Innoson G40, Innoson Carrier 4x4, Innoson Carrier 4x2, Innoson 5000, Innoson 6601, Innoson 6857, Innoson 6800 and their prices range between Shs79m and Shs357m (N7,665,000 and N34,650,000).
Innoson offers a three-year warranty for its cars which covers engine, gear and axle and regardless of the Innoson dealers you buy the vehicle from, they would provide quality and prompt after sale service, to the most remote locations. More to that, the firm boasts the advantage of locally ready spare parts.
The cars experience little or no heating owing to an advanced thermostat and double or triple fans. They are also environmentally friendly due to reinforced shock absorbers and economic effectiveness that causes them to use less fuel hence emit less fumes. According to techpoint.africa, regardless of the fact that a bulk of the production is done in-house, there are still a lot of imported components lying around such as car seats, steering wheels and engine blocks.

Mobius II - Kenya

Produced by Mobius Motors founded by Joel Jackson, a British entrepreneur in 2009, the car has gone through several changes. According CNN.com, Jackson had seen millions of people having their productivity undermined because of the time it takes to move around and get from place to place, and that problem could be solved with a better type of product.
Mobius I was built by welders and mechanics and this gave the plant hope that a car with the potential to navigate all African roads could be built in Africa. That led to the manufacture of Mobius II-first generation which featured more detailed engineering and design from a team of professional engineers. It was later improved to bring to the auto scene the Mobius II-second that costs Ksh1m (about Shs36.6m).
It features a tougher frame structure which improved its ability to withstand heavy stress from rough road driving, coupled with a sleeker design, and a more rugged chassis structure. Unlike the previous model which, according to citizentv.co.ke, availed no options for customization of car’s features, Mobius II allows for customisation.
According to mobiusmotors.com, Mobius II utilises a custom-developed double wishbone coil spring suspension in the front and live axle leaf spring suspension in the rear which enables responsive vehicle performance - improved drive handling and steering stability - without compromising load capacity for transporting heavier goods in the boot.

Automotive industry in South Africa
South Africa is traditionally the leader in Africa of the automotive industry and now produces more than half a million automobiles annually of all types. While domestic development of trucks and military vehicles exists, cars built under license of foreign brands are the mainstay.