ABIA SETS NATIONAL RECORD AS FIRST STATE TO ROLL OUT ELECTRIC BUSES

…as Coscharis President, Dr. Cosmos Maduka, Hails Gov. Otti’s Vision, Unveils First Batch of E-Buses, Affirms it Will Boost Tourism in Abia

Abia State has officially become the first state in Nigeria to deploy electric buses for public transportation, a milestone announced by the President of Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmos Maduka, during the unveiling of the first batch of the vehicles in Lagos.

Describing the development as a groundbreaking leap in Nigeria’s transportation sector, Dr. Maduka disclosed that the initiative places Abia at the forefront of automotive innovation in the country.

“This is one of our innovative product for the Abia State government, the first state in the country enrolling electric buses. Coscharis will continue to push the boundary leading innovations, setting standards other automobile industry will be judged by.

“So I think Abia State with this bus will lead in tourism, because they try to keep Abia safe where people can come in and have the same comfort like it’s done in the UK. The Queen of England can enter the bus, because it’s at it’s best means of transportation. That’s what Abia State government, Alex Otti has done with his team and Coscharis is working with them to deliver on that promise,” he stated.

During the media briefing, Dr. Maduka revealed that Coscharis Motors had successfully produced electric-powered 40-seater buses ordered by the Abia State Government for commercial use. The first batch of 20 buses, shipped in from China, was shown to Auto Journalists at Apapa, from where they will be transported to Abia State.

According to him, the Asia-Coscharis electric buses are designed to drive 300 kilometres on a single charge. He added that Coscharis Motors is preparing to commence local assembly of electric buses and pickups at their Awoyaya plant in Lagos.

Maduka said, “This is all about innovation. You know, we have partnered with Abia State government to provide them these electric buses. So, this is the first batch of it, 20 units that have just arrived.

“The second batch of the electric buses is in production, and subsequently other ones will be coming.

“The second batch that is in production is another 20, but there are other batches that I will not disclose now, that are also on the pipeline.”

Giving further technical details, he explained that the buses are equipped to accommodate persons with disabilities, including wheelchair users.

“This bus can seat about 40 people, you know, and this bus has also taken people with disability on a wheel chair, into consideration. It has a gadget that comes out from a side to pull the person in and bring them back. Their seats, the two special seats, are put at the back.”

He emphasized Coscharis’ leadership in automotive innovation, adding: “Coscharis has continued to lead in innovation in the automobile industry… we have always been on the frontline, driving innovation.”

The futuristic buses are fitted with modern security and comfort features such as internal and rear cameras, phone charging ports, and digital passenger identification systems.

“As you come into the bus, you are captured and recorded into some data base that I don’t want to disclose,” Maduka said, noting that this enhances passenger safety and helps curb theft.

On charging infrastructure, he disclosed that Coscharis Technologies is partnering with the Abia State Government to establish a dedicated charging station powered by solar energy.

“These buses will run in the day, and will be charged overnight… their base is where we are building the power stations. We are building a solar energy source that will charge them, so they are not even depending on public electricity.”

He noted that more than 20 charging points are being installed to support the fleet, adding that a fully charged bus can run for several days depending on distance covered. The electric buses will operate mainly within cities like Aba and Umuahia.

Explaining why the state opted for electric-powered buses instead of CNG options, he said: “CNG buses still have the parts of internal combustion engine… but this is purely battery. This is where the world is going, this is purely electrification.”

For safety, the buses feature multiple emergency exits, escape hatches, onboard cameras, and fire extinguishers.

“So, there’re emergency exits around 360 degree of the buses should anything happen… it’s well taken care of should there be an emergency.”

Dr. Maduka further revealed his long-term plan for vehicle assembly in Nigeria: “We are going to be assembling Coscharis Pick-up very soon… ultimately, we will get to the point where we manufacture them from CKD here. We are doing SKD now.”

He also recalled that Coscharis had supplied over 800 buses to Lagos in the past and is now proud to pioneer electric mobility in Abia.

“These are the first electric buses we are delivering to Abia State, and it’s excellent, it’s a new movement that I hope other states would find valuable and key into.”

In a similar interview, the President of Coscharis Group, Dr. Cosmos Maduka, reiterated his confidence in the transformative partnership between Coscharis and the Abia State Government under Governor Alex Otti, emphasizing that Abia is now setting a national benchmark for m odern, sustainable, and secure transportation.