“No One Believed Me”: Ugandan Man Sells His Pricey Mercedes, Builds Electric Car From Scratch

• A Ugandan man named Jerry Etolu sold his Mercedes-Benz to fund the building of a fully functional electric car from scratch
• Jerry named his creation "Lasuban Built," which means "creator" in his mother tongue
• People from across Africa flooded the comments with admiration, calling him a genius and saying Africa had all the greatness it needed right within its borders

A Ugandan innovator named Jerry Etolu made a decision that most people thought was a terrible idea when he told them about it. He sold his Mercedes-Benz and used the money to build an electric car from scratch in his backyard. The story was shared on 23 February 2026 by content creator @ugconnect_ on Instagram, featuring an interview with Jerry in which he walked viewers through the whole journey. He named the finished vehicle "Lasuban Built," a name drawn from his mother tongue meaning "creator," and the result left everyone who doubted him completely speechless.

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Jerry said that he had dreamed of building cars since he was young, but that without money, those kinds of dreams often get pushed aside. He drew inspiration from shows like Pimp My Ride and always held onto the belief that it was possible. When he finally told people what he was planning, nobody took him seriously. Even when he had already started buying parts and putting things together, the people around him still assumed he was just customising an existing car or fitting a shell with a body. It was only when the build was completely finished, and they saw every step from start to finish, that the reaction changed entirely.

Jerry described the process as one that required more mental strength than anything else. He said his greatest asset was not just the money from the Mercedes, but his mind and his will to keep going. The finished car is a fully functional electric vehicle engineered entirely in Uganda without a factory, without a team of engineers, and without outside funding. He said he hopes his story encourages other Ugandan creators to believe in homegrown talent and technology rather than waiting for resources to come from outside.

Watch the Instagram clip here.

Africa praises the Ugandan man

Social media users from all over the globe praised the man Instagram user @ugconnect shared, calmmb that he will reach great successes in his life:

@nathansin wrote:

"'Your greatest asset is your mind', without that, and God, we are nothing."

@leilah_nakabira said:

"Brilliant! This confirms that it's not the lack of knowledge but the lack of opportunity."

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@shopbeldeluxesleepwear prayed:

"Dear Lord, may this man get all the resources he needs to get car preorders. May his vision not get buried in Ugandan hype and clout."

@itsnezouthere declared:

"Africa does not need saving!!! We have greatness right here, may you be blessed and grow, brother."

@itz_oluwajaykay wrote:

"It's so beautifully crafted. From Nigeria 🇳🇬 with 100% love 💗"

@thee_shackels_of_sanity said:

"This looks awesome for a first-time project 🔥🔥🔥 Keep going."

@earl.karanja added:

"Bro, keep going at it. Your will is your strength 🔥"

@deekaygramm shared:

"This is actually cool, I was in Uganda, and I also saw an electric motorcycle built from scratch and man, it looks very good."

More cars making headlines

• Briefly News recently reported on Springboks star Eben Etzebeth turning heads with his brand new luxury vehicle.
• A female security guard danced at the dealership after buying her brand new car, and the message people took from her milestone had South Africans feeling every bit of it.
• Springboks captain Siya Kolisi pulled up in a R4 million luxury vehicle with his sister by his side.

Source: Briefly News