If you’re ever in Lagos, Nigeria, watch for a quirky aero-amphibious jet car roaming the streets. Self-taught inventor Kehinde Durojaiye transformed a bunch of junk he found in a vehicle capable of operating on land or in water. Durojaiye hopes his invention will one day be a common sight across the country.
Durojaiye’s jet car is made with discarded materials, like an old keyboard, an office chair, and a tricycle steering wheel. He also repurposed plastic, wood, and Styrofoam. He said he’s travelled as far away as Ibadan in his vehicle, which is about 84 miles away from Lagos, and that the jet car can reach speeds of around 75 miles per hour on land and six knots at sea.
Durojaiye told CNN, “We want the whole world to know it is possible to have a kind of machine that can move on land, on the sea, and fly, and perhaps move under the sea. That’s my ultimate goal.”
He invents out of a workshop near a Lagos lagoon dump site, and has already built four prototypes of his car. He also works on other devices like a remote-controlled drone, and has been inventing since childhood. Now married and the father of four children, Durojaiye continues to tinker with his jet car, hoping to make it fly.
The jet car has already attracted attention in Lagos; the city is filled with Hyundias and Toyotas so Durojaiye’s vehicle really stands out. He says when he drives people often want to stop and snap pictures of the car on their phones, and have been surprised the vehicle can travel both on land and sea. Lagos is notorious for its congestion, and CNN speculated a flying car like Durojaiye’s could ease traffic.
SOURCE: INHABITAT