Carbon, into Nigeria’s Auto Market

Bennett  Oghifo

A new highly intelligent AI-powered vehicle known as Zero Carbon, has been introduced into the electric vehicle market in Nigeria.

The Zero Carbon, manufactured by JeGO Industries Inc., is an all-electric 5-seater car that is fitted with AI-enhanced sensors to ensure occupants’ safety and fluid navigability, even in the most treacherous traffic.

The CEO/Founder of JeGO Technologies Inc., Mr. Frederick Apoghene took THISDAY through the fine points of this beautiful and intelligent machinery, after his masterclass on ‘AI for Autonomous Vehicles’ on the second day of the 5th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, which held at the University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos from November 4 to 6, 2025.

Akpoghene said the Zero Carbon is competitively priced, complete with auto-finance and rental options. Also, getting the vehicle charged is not a problem because JeGO Technologies has energy pods that the driver can either carry along with them or the company can take the pod to their location if needed.

The Zero Carbon is infused with radar sensors and drives effortlessly. It is built with this huge dose of AI because it is a precursor to the autonomous/self driving car JeGO has developed for Nigerian roads, complete with local data about the road condition and driving habit.

A sensor in the key brings out the hidden door handles and when the doors are shut, the vehicle comes alive without push button unlike other keyless vehicles. There are no buttons but a touch screen to activate lighting, air conditioning and infortainment, among others. The soft-touch control lever/gear is attached to the steering wheel. 

Zero Carbon has very good leg and head rooms, as well as insulation from outside noise/quiet cabin. A mini fridge is under the drivers right arm rest.

According to Akoghene, “The JeGO Zero Carbon has 505 kilometres range, 5-seater. Basically, you can drive from here to Delta State with a single charge, and the price is also comparable to used vehicles. 

This vehicle is built with technology- two touch screens, for both driver and infotainment.

“There are no buttons, similar to other electric vehicles, keyless and for safety, the door handles are also concealed, making it antitheft and also anti-car jacking. If the key is not there, they can’t start the car.

“It has regenerating breaking, meaning any time you break, the battery gets charged. It uses lithium batteries, with longer duration, more powerful, fast charge available. With DC charge, it could be in 30 minutes, with level two, three, four hours to five hours. It has a large battery.”

He explained that level charging is the one at home, level two charging, which they advise, is carried in the car.

The vehicle comes with great warranty of 100,000 kilometres. “It depends on how many years it takes the owner to get to 100,000kms.” 

The car has panoramic sunroof, surround cameras, LIDAR, and radar sensors, which make it much safer for the driver. If you noticed while it was driving earlier, whenever it approached an object, the display showed everything happening around the car. That increased visibility helps the driver.

“Now, this is not an autonomous vehicle—however, we are using it to deploy our autonomous programme because it already has cameras, sensors, and situational awareness. But awareness alone is not enough. Without the AI memory component, it cannot make decisions or reason. AI gives the vehicle memory, allowing it to understand patterns and make informed decisions.

“What we are aiming to do—like I mentioned earlier, with the sensors and radar, when you’re driving and a car suddenly appears out of nowhere (which happens often in Nigeria and even in America), the system can respond instantly.

“I shared why I started this: I’ve had car accidents, and we lost a loved one to a car accident. We wanted to ensure others don’t experience that. For us, intelligence and safety are not optional—they’re foundational. It’s not just about making a good-looking car; it’s about saving lives.”

About the design of JeGO Zero Carbon, he said it was done by their team. “Our team did. We have an American team and a China team. The design was created by a member of our China team, and engineering happens between both groups. The first vehicle I personally designed is the silver one you’ve seen at the earlier session.”

According to him, “With electric vehicles, the entire powertrain sits on a skateboard platform. That’s essentially the engine: the battery, the ECU, and the computing unit—all located underneath. That’s why it’s heavily protected. On top, the remaining components are minimal: a 12V system, coolant, windshield-wiper lines, and other small elements. There’s nothing like a traditional engine block, no heavy mechanical parts.

“Because of the battery design, the vehicle supports larger display screens—you saw the large touchscreen earlier. You can watch videos, play games, or work from it. It’s designed for comfort and productivity.

“We’re also introducing our van: a 14-seater model currently on the way to Nigeria, as well as an 8-seater model that can serve for cargo, logistics, or passenger movement.” 

The Zero Carbon, he said, is priced at $26,000 due to Customs and current policies. “In naira, that’s about N39 million. Without these policies, we could bring the cost down to about $21,000–$23,000. Customs clearing, shipping, and other charges increase the price.

“We also have lower-cost vehicle options starting at about N18 million—comparable to buying a used car, but without fuel costs.”

On charging and power options, he said, “It comes with a portable charger that you can put in your boot. That allows you to travel long distances—Lagos to Delta, Lagos to Benin—and still charge wherever you find power. We offer two charger types: A simple adapter, like a laptop or phone charger—you plug directly into power; and A charger with built-in battery storage—so if there’s no power source at all, you can still charge.” The range is 505 kilometers.

The vehicle also has intelligent headlights that dim or brighten automatically at night, improving visibility. The design was inspired partly by the Mercedes S-Class and E-Class—clean lines, long light projection, and a premium feel.

“It also has cameras and sensors all around. They help with visibility—especially in Lagos traffic. When you’re reversing and a person or bike approaches, the cameras activate immediately. You may have noticed earlier that the driver struggled to operate the air-conditioning. That’s because electric vehicles don’t have physical buttons; everything is controlled through the central touchscreen.”

On financing and rentals, the JeGO CEO said, “We offer financing. And we also offer rentals. You can access our vehicles without owning them—similar to Airbnb but for cars. For example, today and this week, several people are renting vehicles like this one.

“Instead of paying N150,000–N200,000 daily to rent a Prado or similar vehicles in Abuja or Lagos, you can rent ours for about N100,000. Early members get up to 50% off, paying as low as N60,000 per day.”