Long lines have been forming at gas stations across Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital, due to ongoing fuel shortages.
The situation has caused frustration among drivers, with many waiting for hours to refuel their vehicles. However, one local resident, Mikial Belayneh, has managed to sidestep the chaos entirely.
“I no longer line up for petrol on the road,” Belayneh said. He drives an imported Toyota bZ4X, an electric vehicle (EV), and charges it at home.
A full charge lasts him two days, making it a convenient choice.
Belayneh is part of a growing trend in Addis Ababa, where more residents are switching to EVs.
The city is rapidly changing, with electric buses, smaller minibuses, cars, and motorbikes becoming increasingly common on its streets.
Currently, there are about 100,000 EVs in Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian government has ambitious plans for the future, predicting that the number of EVs will quadruple by 2032.
In a historic move earlier this year, the government banned the import of all gas-powered passenger vehicles, making it the first nation in the world to do so.
Additionally, the government significantly reduced import taxes on fully assembled EVs.
While gas vehicle taxes reached up to 200%, the tax for EVs is now just 15%.
This initiative is part of a broader effort to increase the number of electric vehicles on Ethiopian roads.
Local manufacturing is also benefiting from these changes.
The Belayneh Kindie Group, a company based in Ethiopia, assembles electric vehicles using parts imported from China.
Manager Besufekad Shewaye noted that import tariffs for EV parts are nearly zero.
