The Z 600- First Indigenous Car Prototype - Car Talk

The Z 600- First Indigenous Car Prototype - Car Talk - Nairaland

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The Z 600- First Indigenous Car Prototype by MarrisManah(op): 11:22am On Feb 14, 2020*

The first Nigerian made car was izuogu Z - 600, not Innoson.
opera.com Feb 13, 2020 4:06 PM
The first Nigerian made car was Izuogu Z - 600, not Innoson.

Izuogu Z - 600

The Izuogu Z - 600 prototype was the first indegenious Nigerian made car, and the first automobile of indegenious all African technology. The car was the brainchild of engineer Ezekiel Izuogu, an electrical engineer in the federal polytechnic Nekede, Imo state.

The car was launched in 1997, and it caused a stir in the Nigerian media and was touted by the then chief of staff general Oladipo Diya.

The design and specifications of the Z - 600 prototype.

The prototype was equipped with a self made 1.8L four cylinder engine that have 18mpg and allowed the car to achieve a speed of 140km/h ( 86mph). It has a front wheel drive, because it's cheaper to produce.

The design of the car was very utilitarian, resembling the locally assembled Peugeot 504.

The mass produced prototypes was to be sold at a price of $2000 then, which could had been the cheapest car in the world. The mass production was planned under Izuogu motor automobile plant in Naze, Imo state.

How Izuogu dream was cut short.

Izuogu dream for the mass production of affordable cars for Nigerians was cut short by too many financial and political hurdles, and the car couldn't make it pass the prototype stage.

But in 2005, interest from other african nations arose about the Z - 600 and Dr izuogu was invited to south Africa to give a speech on science and technology. The south African government showed keen interest in the car and wanted Izuogu to build an auto plant in South Africa.

Optimism surrounded the car until March 11 2006, when heavily armed men, not fewer than 12 stormed the auto plant in Naze Imo state and took away all the important equipment in the plant, which includes the engine block mold and crank shaft, mudguard, the design history note book for Z - 600, the design file; Z - MASS ( containing the design history for the mass production of the Z - 600 car) and other essential components of the plant. This was a huge set back for the car and not much is known about the status of the car since then.

Google about him for further informations on his work.