Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Unam receives EVs  tolower carbon footprint

Unam receives EVs  tolower carbon footprint

Iuze Mukube

In its continued commitment to sustainability and innovation in transportation, the University of Namibia has acquired five electric vehicles (EVs) worth N$1.5 million. The formal handover of the four electric sedans and one EV van took place at the university’s main campus yesterday.

This significant move is a critical goal of the university towards lowering its carbon footprint in the country and setting the standards of transitioning to greener and more cost-effective mobility solutions.

Yesterday’s donation of EVs was made possible by sponsorship from Cardiff University. Unam vice chancellor, Kenneth Matengu, expressed his gratitude, stating the vehicles support the university’s strategy on climate change and mitigation by decreasing and reducing the carbon emission footprint at the institution. 

He noted the university will likely use fewer petrol and diesel vehicles going forward thanks to the five cutting-edge electric vehicles. He urged the university to embrace the EVs, saying this is the future. 

Spearheading the EV project was Judith Hall, Unam’s executive dean of the faculty of health sciences and veterinary medicine. She said the vehicles were acquired through a grant she initiated at Cardiff University and the Welsh government.

Hall underlined the vehicles’ considerable saving on costs compared to normal vehicles using petrol or diesel. That the acquired EVs are allocated to different departments in the health faculties, and to campuses such as Hage Geingob, and the veterinary department at the main campus.

Additionally, the EVs will be used for transporting staff, students, goods and animals, while the van is set to transport cages for small animals.

Representing Electric Vehicles Namibia cc, Johannes Ndjamba, said the vehicles consist of the Nissan Leaf brand, which is a fully electric car, meaning it just works solely on a battery.

He said the bigger the battery, the longer the distance covered. 

“So, the ones that you see here have a 24 kilowatt battery, which means on a full charge, you can drive between 100 to 120 kilometres. And, the car takes two types of charging, namely the slow charge and the quick charge options,” said Ndjamba.  

He said slow-charging entails a household charger, as it can be plugged into a normal outlet socket at home. 

“It’s a single phase, but charging time is much longer compared to the fast charger. The charging times on the slow charger is between five to six hours to charge fully,” he
said. 

However, on the fast charger, a full charge can be achieved in 45 minutes to one hour but regardless of the time, the electricity used is about N$50.   

Ndjamba continued that the retail price for the EV Nissan Leafs is between N$150 000 to N$320 000 for the smaller type, while the newer EVs retail for around N$450 000. These models can run for up to 380 kilometres on a full charge.