Samuel Faleye: Making a Case for Future of Electric Vehicles

In a world that is gravitating towards clean energy, driving an electric car is more than luxury; it’s a necessity. Electric vehicles’ markets have recorded significant growth in sales in the last two years. While developed economies like the US and China are blazing the trail in this innovation, Nigeria’s pace in transmitting clean energy vehicles has been relatively slow. Then comes Samuel Faleye, the Chairman and CEO of SAGLEV, a distribution, assembling and manufacturing electric vehicles company for emerging markets. He tells Vanessa Obioha about his vision to accelerate the transition from Internal Combustion Engine

(ICE) to Electric Vehicles (EVs) to combat climate change

In 2013, Samuel Faleye, Chairman and CEO of SAGLEV and a co-founder of a Delaware-based Electric Vehicle Company, purchased his first electric vehicle (EV). Nearly 11 years later, Faleye is deeply entrenched in the EV business, advocating for widespread adoption among Nigerians as an efficient mode of transportation, especially amidst the global call for renewable energy. Leveraging SAGLEV, he currently oversees the assembly, manufacturing, and distribution of electric vehicles in both Nigeria and Ghana.

Electric vehicles have a rich history dating back to the 19th century when various models of electric cars were showcased. In 1888, German inventor Andreas Flocken is credited with designing the first electric car, known as the Flocken Elektrowagen. Just two years later, in the United States, Andrew Morrison introduced the first electric car. However, the rise of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) led to a decline in EV popularity.

Yet, with rapid technological advancements, EVs are experiencing a resurgence. Today, vibrant electric vehicle markets thrive, particularly in the United States and China.

While Nigeria has boasted a few electric vehicles, its adoption has been slow.

“I have always wondered that as smart as Nigerians are, as high technology adopters as they are, why are they not driving electric vehicles,” Faleye mused.

“The reasons are multifactorial,” he said. “The first one is electricity which has been a chronic perpetual problem in Nigeria. People are naturally reluctant with anything that has to do with electric power. There is a cost factor because Nigeria has also temporarily alleviated the permanent problem by importing used cars at a very low cost. Hence, we have flooded our market with these cars that are so cheap but people are suffering from chronic over expenditure on maintenance, not realising that. As a result, people are still looking at a very cheap car where they say ‘Well, even if it lasts me one year, at least I can buy it. There is also an infrastructure problem.’”

Among the challenges hindering the widespread adoption of EVs in Nigeria is  adequate charging infrastructure which Faleye said represents the smallest and most solvable hurdle.

“Worldwide, if you look at China, the United States, Europe,  70 to 80 percent of charging actually happens at home. You plug your battery and charge overnight, anywhere from four to eight hours, and you have a full charge. That is actually going to be the case in Nigeria. For example, I personally have driven an electric vehicle in Nigeria for  over a year, and I’ve had no problem because I charge.”

Faleye also pointed out that from his research, the number of Nigerians who have at least 12 hours of electricity per week is over 50%.

“If you juxtapose that with the fact that you have an electric vehicle, you can drive 300 kilometres by charging for four hours,” he said. “The average driver in Nigeria drives way less than 60 kilometres a day. That already tells you that it’s five days of range.  Most people are not going to charge their cars more than twice a week. In fact, some of my EVS that I have now will go between 700 and  500 kilometres. So you now begin to imagine how many times you have to charge that car.”

Faleye also stated that for ride-hailing drivers of EVs, who spend much of their time on the road, he and his team have established a network of chargers. These chargers allow drivers to charge their cars for four hours before embarking on their journeys.

Part of the slow adoption of EVs can be attributed to the numerous myths and misconceptions surrounding them. Faleye debunked several, including the misconception that EVs cannot perform well in traffic.

“That is actually a myth because EVs are uniquely amenable to traffic and use of air conditioning. If you think about it this way, if you’re in a regular gasoline diesel vehicle, your motor is actually powering that compressor.  Whenever your air conditioner kicks on, your motor starts revving with a higher RPM thereby you’re burning more gas, right? If you stay too long in traffic with your AC on, you will find out you’re consuming more gas and may start dealing with overheating because basically your car is burning more gas and producing more energy.”

With EVs, one can be guaranteed a highly efficient battery-powered air conditioning system, according to Faleye. He added that EVs primarily consume power when in motion and the energy usage for functions such as air conditioning, radio, or other devices is negligible when the vehicle is stationary.

“In one of our smallest models, you can run the AC for 72 hours.”

Another myth he debunked was that EVs are very expensive. He prescribed an alternative option.

“There is a truth to that but our company has done the work to find the models that will serve us in this economy without breaking the bank,” he said. “Another myth is that one cannot charge an EV in the rain. The truth is that you can hardly hear that one received an electric shock from an electric vehicle that was being charged. The reason is that the car and its charging system have what is called a handshake; they are communicating. And if there is a leakage of electricity, it will shut that communication down.”

Despite these challenges, Faleye envisions a flourishing market for EVs in Nigeria and across Africa. SAGLEV has already made significant strides in Ghana, where it offers electromobility infrastructure for ride-hailing and automotive fleet operators.

For Faleye, the advantages of EVs are manifold. In addition to their energy efficiency and safety benefits, he believes that the EV sector can contribute significantly to the country’s economic growth.

“When I see EVs, I see jobs. From the charging infrastructure, there are a lot of jobs in that field because you have to train a lot of electricians who have to understand how to install and service charges. There are also automotive technicians. For us, we have already trained 18 certified EVs technicians. These are guys who are certified automotive technicians that we took and gave them the training in terms of classroom and practical, how to clear and assemble EVs. What we are doing now is to focus on women.”

He continued: “There is going to be an industry that will train those technicians who will in turn train other technicians. What about applications and information technology? I can assure you that EVs will generate almost as many applications as the smartphone will. The EVs of today are connected to the internet. There is an opportunity to deliver services in EVs, to consult and consume advertisement, and social interactions.”

These opportunities, according to Faleye, even extend to the medical, logistics and even telecommunications sectors.

“EVs are going to transform the life of mobility in Nigeria,” he added, citing how EVs can help cut down costs, particularly given the high cost of fuel in the country today.

Faleye’s venture into the world of EVs was spurred by his passion for engineering. Initially pursuing medicine at the University of Ilorin, his path shifted when he relocated to the U.S. There, he specialised in Internal Medicine and Clinical Informatics, which is healthcare information technology.

“It was there that I realised I have an engineering mind  and I have been involved in tech just since then.”

Describing himself as restless, Faleye is also engaged in ventures in real estate securities trading and is a licensed pilot. Based in the US, Faleye has been shuttling between the United States and Nigeria in the past few years. He firmly believes in the critical role of the African diaspora in driving economic growth on the continent and is committed to leveraging his professional training, knowledge, and experience to make a positive impact in Nigeria and beyond. Through his work in the EV industry, he envisions a sustainable future for mobility in Nigeria and the wider African region