A viral video claiming that Zimbabwean inventor Maxwell Chikumbutso has created a “fuel-free” car powered by radio frequencies has been debunked by PRNigeria after a thorough fact-check.
The widely circulated video alleged that Chikumbutso’s invention surpassed those of Tesla and Silicon Valley, claiming his “self-propelled” car required no fuel, electricity, or charging.
The video, accompanied by text, stated: “Proof that we Africans can actually be quite smart. This motor vehicle invention in Zimbabwe beats all the work of Tesla and the entire Silicon Valley combined. Not even the Chinese come anywhere close. They even tried to kill him (the inventor), but when God says yes, no one can say no.”
Another claim on WhatsApp added: “Africans need to patronize our own after OM come Q1. This vehicle will be launched on February 10, 2025. No fuel, no electricity, talk less of charging. It is a self-propelled car.”
The video showed Chikumbutso presenting his alleged inventions, including the Saith FEV (hypersonic device), to Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the State House in Harare. He claimed the vehicle required no fuel, recharging, or external input, asserting it was powered entirely by radio waves.
PRNigeria’s fact-check team investigated the claims by reviewing reports from Zimbabwean media and conducting independent research. According to Harare News, Chikumbutso’s Saith FEV Car and Hypersonic Energy Device have faced scrutiny and allegations of deception.
Chikumbutso was labeled a “bogus inventor,” with many accusing him of misleading the president and fabricating his inventions. Zimbabweans alleged that Chikumbutso purchased an electric vehicle and a Browey portable power station, presenting them to President Mnangagwa at State House while falsely claiming them as his own creations.
Further investigation by PRNigeria revealed that Hopewell Rugoho-Chin’ono, an award-winning Zimbabwean journalist and fellow at Harvard, criticized Chikumbutso’s alleged inventions in a Facebook post.
Rugoho-Chin’ono said he conducted a reverse image search on Chikumbutso’s supposed hypersonic device and found that it was being sold on Amazon for $109.
He revealed that the device was actually created by a company called Browey, which unveiled it on August 9, 2023. Rugoho-Chin’ono expressed disbelief that state media in Zimbabwe had reported on Chikumbutso’s claims, suggesting it was an attempt to end fuel problems. He also criticized the president for allegedly hiring “unqualified relatives and friends”, who couldn’t spot out Chikumbotso’s bogus claim.
Furthermore, PRNigeria‘s fact-check conducted a reverse image search on the alleged inventions and found a similar product on Amazon, a Browey Portable Power Station (1000 with a built-in solar panel, 614WH/19300mAh LifePO4 Battery pack, and solar generator with AC/DC/USB/PD output, designed for outdoor camping, RV travel, and emergency preparedness).
In another independent investigation, PRNigeria discovered that the car Chikumbutso displayed to President Mnangagwa at the State House was a Kaiyi X3 Pro electric vehicle powered by a lithium-ion phosphate battery.
Conclusion: findings by PRNigeria reveal controversies trailing the inventions claim including the fact that Chikumbutso purchased a Kaiyi X3 Pro electric vehicle and fabricated it with a Browey portable power station.
PRNigeria concludes that the claim that Zimbabwean inventor Maxwell Chikumbutso has created a Saith FEV, a “fully self-powering electric vehicle powered entirely by radio waves,” is false.
Link to the Factcheck: https://prnigeria.com/2025/02/03/zimbabwean-fuel-free-car/
