Frontline indigenous automaker, Lanre Shittu Motors (LSM), has made history as the first company to assemble 100 per cent compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered buses in Nigeria.
The company also says it is willing to support those buying a large fleet including state governments with the installation of mobile CNG stations across different locations.
Speaking with some journalists in Lagos on Monday at a media launch of the buses, Managing Director of Lanre Shittu Motors, Mr. Taiwo Shittu, said the CNG vehicles are being assembled at the Amuwo Odofin assembly plant, Lagos.
The LSM MD who spoke along the Deputy Managing Director of the company, Lukman Shittu, said 100 units of the buses coming in two specifications would be introduced in the first phase to support the President Bola Tinubu’s CNG initiative of easing public transportation and cushioning the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
Meanwhile, the Director General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr. Joseph Osanipin, said he was excited about the initiative, adding, “Now that LSM has taken the bold step which l hope others will key into, no need to bother about the cost of conversion because the vehicles are already factory-fitted”.
Speaking further on the new CNG vehicles, the LSM MD said while the first bus, a 31-seater, would be deployed for intra-airport shuttle, the second spec, a 54-seater, which can also accommodate 25 persons standing, would serve as mass transit city bus.
The MD said, “Now we have the real CNG new buses on the ground. We are the first to have full CNG vehicles for sale, others are converted engines or hybrid.
“Any state that is really interested in saving cost should be talking to us. We have two specifications, one for airport shuttle, and the other for mass transit city bus”.
Taiwo Shittu also said the city bus was built with seven cylinders and could travel for 450-500 kilometres before recharge.
According to him, the airport bus, also built with seven CNG cylinders, has a lot of space for boxes and two wheel chairs like the city bus.
“They all have charging stations. While on the move, you can charge your phones. The bus is air-conditioned, durable and installed with viewing screens,” he added.
He declared that the LSM-branded CNG bus would guarantee complete 70 per cent reduction in operation costs.
He said, “For instance, while the CNG costs N200-N230/kg, diesel is sold from N1,200 to N1,400/litre, depending on the state you are buying from.
“While some drivers have the habit of siphoning fuel from a vehicle for the purposes of selling or using it elsewhere, this cannot happen with CNG.
“The money saved could be utilised to solve other vital problems including paying workers’ increased salary based on approved new minimum wage”.
Deputy Managing Director of the company, Mr Lukman Shittu, said the company was willing to install mobile CNG stations across different locations, especially for large fleet buyers.
He said, “We can deploy mobile CNG stations across different locations; we can install for people around their locations”.
He explained that the company had also embarked on the training of its workers in the CNG technology using its technical partners.
He said, “We have technical partners. They have trained our workers. We have the expertise; we are going to Ekiti State with the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC) to train people in the CNG technology. We are also going to other states.
“We have the parts. We are not only concerned about our buses, we are also interested in helping the government in any way we can to make this CNG initiative a reality.
“The important thing is how to save cost on transportation in Nigeria”.
The DG of the NADDC, Osanipin, commended Lanre Shittu Motors for assembling full CNG buses locally.
“Those that need this type of pure 100% CNG buses are mainly the commercial transporters. We at the NADDC are working with LSM to test run it.
“LSM will provide the expertise while Pi-CNG (Presidential CNG Initiative) will provide the necessary support and NADDC will ensure the training of people that will handle it”.
