Billionaire Aliko Dangote Narrates Surprising Tesla Uber Ride Experience

• Aliko Dangote shared his experience of taking an Uber ride in Italy after his driver was unavailable, during which he rode in a Tesla electric car
• The Uber driver explained that fully charging the vehicle costs about €20 and provides a range of 500 kilometres, which impressed Dangote
• Reflecting on the encounter, he emphasised the need to embrace innovation and adapt to technological changes to avoid becoming outdated

Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade’s experience covering Energy, MSMEs, Technology, Banking and the Economy.

Africa’s richest man, Aliko Dangote, recently recounted an unusual but enlightening encounter he had while using an Uber ride in Italy.

In a video shared on TVC’s X handle on Tuesday, the Dangote Group founder explained that while waiting for his personal driver, who was unavailable at the time, his assistant ordered an Uber to take them to a restaurant.

During the trip, Dangote struck up a conversation with the Uber driver, who impressed him with his courtesy, even offering mint and chewing gum, which he politely declined.

Curious about the vehicle, Dangote complimented it, prompting the driver to reveal it was a Tesla electric car.

According to Dangote, the driver went on to explain that charging the Tesla costs about €20, providing enough power to travel roughly 500 kilometres.

Dangote narrated:

“And I said ‘this vehicle is nice’ and he said ‘Tesla electric’. I said ‘oh that’s good’. He said our electricity is very expensive here and I said, ‘ok what does it cost’ and he said about €20 to fully charge and I said how many kilometres do you run and he said 500 so you can see that €20 for 500 kilometres.”

The billionaire businessman and Africa’s richest man said he was intrigued by the efficiency and affordability of the electric car.

Reflecting on the experience, Dangote stressed the importance of embracing innovation and technological shifts.

He cautioned that anyone who fails to adapt to modern changes risks becoming irrelevant.

He added:

“So things have changed and all of us will have to keep changing because if not, you will become archaic.”

Following his experience, Dangote disclosed that the next phase of his company’s vehicle acquisition will be the importation of electric vehicles.

The billionaire businessman said he could not continue to use the old trucks for safety reasons.

In recent months, Dangote Refinery has taken delivery of 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to implement an initiative that would oversee the nationwide distribution of petrol.

Dangote trains 2,000 truck drivers

In related news, Legit.ng earlier reported that Dangote Cement Plc trained over 2,000 new drivers and recently held a major training session for 900 existing drivers.

According to the company, all drivers were expected to undergo a rigorous recruitment and medical screening process, followed by a two-week safety-focused training program.

The company emphasises road safety as a core priority and collaborates with authorities to ensure ethical practices and accident prevention.

Source: Legit.ng