Naol Abera was among the first passengers to board an electric bus for a recent journey from the Bole airport area to Shiro Meda in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital.
“It is my first time on an electric bus. I am thrilled to see electric vehicles introduced in Ethiopia. The bus is very comfortable and travels quickly, helping passengers save time,” Abera said in an interview with Xinhua.
All 44 seats of the bus were occupied, with six passengers standing until the shiny silver-colored EV arrived at the next bus stop. It appeared that many were unaware of the electric bus service launched in late March, which is part of Ethiopia’s efforts to promote green transport.
These electric buses are assembled by a local company called Belayneh Kindie Metal Engineering Complex, using components imported from China.
The Chinese company Golden Dragon supplies the components to the local company, which assembles both EV minibuses and 12-meter-long buses to meet the country’s growing demand for EVs, according to Besufekad Shewaye, general manager of the Ethiopian company.
“The interior design of the bus is very nice. It travels faster than a diesel-powered bus. Inside, there is good illumination and ample space,” Abera said, emphasizing that the introduction of electric buses would undoubtedly reduce air pollution and transportation shortages in the city.
The Ethiopian government has allowed duty-free importation of EV components to promote the use of EVs and facilitate technology transfer in response to a global fuel price hike and climate change.
In 2023, Ethiopia spent six billion U.S. dollars on fuel imports, with over half going toward fueling vehicles, according to the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics. Additionally, pollution levels in city centers due to these vehicles are reportedly alarming.
The introduction of EVs for public transportation in the country comes after the government announced plans to ban the importation of gasoline or diesel vehicles to expedite the transition to electric mobility.
