How Ethiopia is becoming an unlikely leader in the electric vehicle revolution

6 months ago

Deghareg Bekele, an architect in Addis Ababa, bought a Volkswagen electric car despite initial skepticism due to power cuts and doubts about vehicle quality.
Ethiopia banned imports of combustion engine vehicles last year, making EVs more common, with BYD being the most prevalent brand.
Ethiopia aims to increase the number of EVs from 115,000 to 500,000 by 2030, despite half the population lacking access to electricity.
The Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, now operational, will double the country's electricity output, but grid issues and power outages persist.
The government promotes EVs to reduce fuel imports ($4.5bn annually) and pollution, offering tax exemptions to encourage adoption.
EVs remain expensive, with a BYD model costing around £11,000, while combustion engine cars were previously taxed at 200%.
Local EV production is being encouraged, but capacity is currently small, with Belayneh Kinde Group assembling Chinese minibuses.
Charging infrastructure is limited, with only 100 stations nationwide, mostly in Addis Ababa, making long-distance travel impractical.
Drivers express concerns about battery durability and lack of charging stations, but some, like taxi driver Firew Tilahun, have switched to EVs for cost savings.
Despite challenges, some stakeholders are cautiously optimistic about Ethiopia's EV transition, hoping infrastructure will improve.

Hasty Briefsbeta