Trending Now - Ethiopia Drives Africa's Shift to Electric Vehicles Amid Fuel Crisis

WHO:

ABC News - Ethiopia's minister of Trade and Regional Integration is Kassahun Gofe.

ABC News - Hiten Parmar is the executive director of The Electric Mission.

ABC News - Bob Wesonga is the policy and investments lead at the Africa E-Mobility Alliance.

WHAT:

ABC News - Ethiopia has more than 115,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on its roads, accounting for about 8% of the national fleet.

ABC News - Africa imported 44,358 electric vehicles from China in 2025, up from 19,386 in 2024.

ABC News - Ethiopia is spending about $4.2 billion annually on fuel imports.

ABC News - Ethiopia is spending up to $128 million monthly on fuel subsidies.

ABC News - There are 17 electric vehicle assembly plants in the pipeline in Ethiopia, with plans to raise that number to 60 by 2030.

ABC News - A private EV owner now spends roughly $4 a month on charging compared to about $27 previously spent on fuel.

WHERE:

ABC News - The capital of Ethiopia is Addis Ababa.

ABC News - The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is located in Ethiopia.

WHEN:

ABC News - Ethiopia banned new imports of gas and diesel-powered vehicles in 2024.

ABC News - The International Energy Agency estimates that electric vehicles displaced more than 1 million barrels of oil consumption per day in 2024.

WHY:

ABC News - Soaring prices and fuel shortages are compelling countries in Africa to opt for cleaner and cheaper transport.

ABC News - Ethiopia's fuel shortages are exacerbated by the ongoing war in Iran, affecting oil imports through the Strait of Hormuz.

ABC News - The government is promoting quicker EV adoption as a buffer against external supply shocks.

HOW:

ABC News - Ethiopia is deploying ultra-fast charging hubs in Addis Ababa to support EV adoption.

ABC News - The transition to EVs is being supported by a mix of policy incentives and investments in manufacturing capacity and clean energy in other African countries like Egypt, South Africa, and Morocco.

(UPDATED May 9, 2026 07:35 UTC)

Ethiopia's minister of Trade and Regional Integration, Kassahun Gofe, is leading the charge as the country embraces electric vehicles, with over 115,000 EVs now on the roads, making up about 8% of the national fleet. The government is actively promoting quicker EV adoption to mitigate fuel shortages exacerbated by the ongoing war in Iran, and plans to increase the number of electric vehicle assembly plants from 17 to 60 by 2030. To support this transition, Ethiopia is deploying ultra-fast charging hubs in Addis Ababa, while also benefiting from policy incentives and investments in clean energy from other African nations.