Electric Vehicles or EVs as they are popularly known are vehicles that can be powered by electric motors and draw electricity from a battery that is charged from an external source.
In comparison to cars that use fossil fuels like petrol and diesel, adopting the usage of Electric Vehicles would go a long way in helping us achieve Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13, that is, Affordable and Clean Energy, and Climate Action.
According to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), automobiles contribute 60% of the nitrogen dioxide exhaust emissions within the Kampala city center.
One of the biggest obstacles to the uptake and use of electric vehicles in Kampala is the absence of optimal charging locations. In order to effectively establish charging locations for EVs, factors such as traffic congestion, optimal coverage, population density, and usage patterns need to be taken into consideration.
Earlier this year, TotalEnergies Uganda in partnership with Outbox launched the TotalEnergies rEVolution hackathon to deliver optimal locations of Electric Vehicles (EVs) charging points in Kampala.
The three month long hackathon attracted over 400 applications from individuals aged 18–45. Through a shortlisting process, 16 teams were invited to participate in a three-day hackathon during which four teams were selected to receive up to $10,000.
The teams that were selected included;
- Team TKBN which uses artificial intelligence and an online map-based system to create a tool that locates Electric Vehicle optimal charging locations in Kampala.
- Team Isbat University which combines python programming and geospatial analysis to create a sustainable and accessible network of Electric Vehicle charging points in Kampala. It also promotes the adoption of Electric Vehicles and minimizes disruptions to the city’s infrastructure.
- Team DataKnight which combines heuristic and linear programming to identify optimal Electric Vehicle charging points in Kampala. The team also projects demand history from both informal and formal buildings, estimates land rental and yearly wattage costs, and classifies charging stations based on charging time and vehicle type.
- Team Shalom which uses a data-driven approach that combines geospatial analysis and machine learning to identify Electric Vehicle charging points in Kampala. The team used a wide range of datasets with consideration of transportation hubs, residential areas, road networks, power infrastructure, and the proximity of fuel stations.
While speaking at the TotalEnergies rEVolution hackathon Award Ceremony, the TotalEnergies EP Uganda General Manager and Country Chair TotalEnergies, Philippe Groueix said;
“Addressing today’s carbon neutrality challenge requires a collective focus on innovation. In Uganda, the Company is part of the energy cluster on e-mobility think tank and is supporting innovation in line with e-mobility. The Company has for instance implemented this e-mobility rEVolution hackathon challenge to provide the youth with a platform to propose innovative ideas that can facilitate e-mobility in Kampala. This is also in line with our Company pillar of Youth Inclusion.”
According to the Team Principal at Outbox hub, Richard Zulu, the hackathon illustrated the impact young people have while driving toward social change;
“This hackathon demonstrated that young people still have a role to play in addressing societal challenges in partnership with the private sector. We remain steadfast in our commitment to ensure that the solutions selected can be considered for operationalization by TotalEnergies in Uganda and other mobility actors in Uganda.”
Through a collective initiative among the different stakeholders, we can ably drive toward the adoption of Electric Vehicles for affordable and clean energy.
