Ethiopia's dream towards greener future faces challenges

As Ethiopia embarks on an ambitious journey to transition to electric vehicles, the challenges faced by early adopters are becoming increasingly evident.

As fuel prices skyrocketed in Ethiopia earlier this year, civil servant Awgachew Seleshi chose to purchase an electric car, aligning with the government's initiative to phase out gas-powered vehicles. However, months later, he is beginning to question if this was the right choice, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.  

He is dealing with various challenges, including the inconsistent electricity supply in Addis Ababa, the capital, and a shortage of spare parts.

“Charging my car has been a challenge," the civil servant stated. “Spare parts that are imported from China are expensive, few mechanics are able to fix such cars and the resale value of such cars is poor.”  

Seleshi's difficulties highlight broader issues for Ethiopia. In January, the East African nation became the first globally to prohibit the importation of non-electric private vehicles. 

This move alleviated the burden on authorities who use limited foreign currency to subsidize fuel costs, while also reflecting a rising interest in electric vehicles in response to the global push for greener technologies aimed at reducing climate-changing emissions.

Earlier this month, the Ethiopian government increased fuel prices by up to 8 per cent as part of a strategy to gradually eliminate all fuel subsidies in Africa's second-most populous nation. Authorities have reported some success in enforcing the ban on non-electric vehicles, with over 100,000 electric cars now being imported monthly. The official goal is to boost this monthly import figure to 500,000 by 2030. 

By that time, a major new dam constructed by Ethiopia on the Nile River is anticipated to generate power at full capacity.   Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, in a televised speech earlier this year, stated that the Grand Renaissance Dam will begin producing more than 5,000 megawatts of electric power within a year. Authorities believe this capacity will aid the transition to electric vehicles.  

However, many residents of Addis Ababa, a city with over 5 million inhabitants, remain skeptical about the country's ability to meet its ambitious electric vehicle targets without further infrastructure and services. The few garage owners skilled in repairing electric cars report being overwhelmed, while customers claim they are being overcharged due to a noticeable lack of competition. 

By Naila Huseynova