For a Lagos ride-hailing operator, an EV’s energy bill is only one part of the business case. The car must also complete paid trips, recharge within the driver’s schedule and remain serviceable. A cheaper kilometre can be offset by an unplanned charging queue or a vehicle waiting for a part.
The useful comparison is the cost per productive day and per paid kilometre. Build it from the operator’s own dispatch and electricity records, then stress-test charging availability. National averages and manufacturer range labels cannot answer whether one depot or driver’s home meets the actual roster.
Use the site’s tariff and supply record
Lagos properties can have different electricity accounts, classifications and supply conditions. Eko’s customer help centre provides a starting point for tariff and account enquiries. Obtain the site’s current bill or approved supply agreement, including classification, consumption, applicable rates and taxes. A historic bill-design announcement is not evidence of the rate payable at this site.
Use the current account-specific bill or approved supply agreement in the model. Do not select the lowest published rate from a different band or historic notice. Record hours of usable supply and its overlap with parking time; a low tariff is of limited value if the vehicle cannot charge before its next shift.
An illustrative operating-day calculation
Assume a vehicle travels 200 km per day, including repositioning, and consumes an invented 0.18 kWh/km from the battery. Battery energy is 36 kWh. If charging efficiency is assumed to be 90%, metered energy is 40 kWh. None of these figures is a measured result for Lagos or a specific model.
| Planning scenario | Invented input | Calculated daily energy cost |
|---|---|---|
| Depot electricity only | 40 kWh at NGN 210/kWh | NGN 8,400 |
| Higher-cost electricity | 40 kWh at NGN 300/kWh | NGN 12,000 |
| Mixed charging | 30 kWh at NGN 210 plus 10 kWh at NGN 500 | NGN 11,300 |
The example rates are assumptions, not current tariffs or public charging quotations. Include taxes, session fees and parking charges where actually payable. If only 160 of the 200 km are paid kilometres, the first scenario’s energy cost is NGN 52.50 per paid kilometre, rather than NGN 42 per total kilometre.
Measure repositioning and unpaid waiting. Both affect earnings even when the electricity bill is unchanged.
Convert charging into a roster requirement
Delivering 40 kWh from the meter at a sustained 7 kW takes about 5.7 hours. That simple calculation assumes the vehicle accepts the power and excludes interruptions. A short overnight parking period may therefore be inadequate even if the battery’s nominal range appears sufficient.
For ten vehicles needing the same energy, the depot must deliver 400 kWh across the available window. Over eight hours, average charging demand is 50 kW before unrelated site loads and design allowances. Ten wallboxes do not create 50 kW of available supply.
Have a qualified installer assess supply capacity, vehicle compatibility and load management. If backup generation is proposed, calculate its delivered energy cost, installation suitability and operating limits separately. Do not assume generator electricity costs the same as grid electricity.
Put downtime in the earnings model
Suppose an invented charging interruption causes two fewer paid trips contributing NGN 2,000 each. The lost contribution is NGN 4,000. Adding that consequence to the first energy scenario gives NGN 12,400 for energy plus lost contribution on the affected day. It is not an accounting fuel cost; it is an operational comparison.
Also budget financing, insurance, tyres, cleaning, driver payments, routine service and the dealer’s actual support promise. Use a landed purchase price that includes clearance and registration. Recoverable tax, if applicable, should have a separate cash timing line rather than disappearing from the initial funding requirement.
Prove the duty cycle before expanding
Run a representative pilot with metered energy and trip records. Include air-conditioning use, ordinary traffic, typical passenger load and the real charging site. Test account access and charger payment with the driver who will use them.
Choose one or two configurations per model and keep the initial offer below three. A common specification simplifies cables, tyres, driver training and parts planning. Select the car that fits the complete paid-work cycle, rather than the one with the longest advertised laboratory range.
Request a fleet proposal built around your shifts
Send daily kilometres, paid-trip pattern, overnight parking window and electricity account details through our contact page. Combine the Nigeria import requirements with a charging assessment before pricing the operating fleet.