July 14–Across Africa, countries are exploring their own paths toward a green mobility transition. Ethiopia, which relies almost entirely on imported fuel and experienced some of the longest queues during the height of the crisis, began its transition well before the disruption. In 2024, the government banned imports of gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles to fast-track the shift to electric mobility and reduce hard currency spent on fuel. Since then, Chinese EV brands have entered the East African country of 130 million people. Among them is Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC), which debuted four new EV models in the Ethiopian market in March 2026. Zhou Li, GAC’s country manager for Ethiopia, said the government’s push for green mobility and growing demand for environmentally friendly vehicles prompted the launch.
Alemu Sime, Ethiopia’s minister of transport and logistics, commended the company for providing spare parts and after-sales services through trained local technicians. More than 140,000 EVs — private cars, minibuses and public buses — are now on Ethiopian roads, according to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics. Having met its initial import target ahead of schedule, the government aims to put up to 500,000 EVs on the road under its 10-year development plan through 2030. Kenya has taken an incentive-based approach. After sharp fuel price hikes disrupted public transport nationwide, President William Ruto announced in May that the government is in the process of procuring 3,000 EVs through the Ministry of Interior for use by security and administration officials. “I am also making a declaration that the first 100,000 electric vehicles to be imported into Kenya, whether for public service or private use, will be duty-free,” he said. The market was already gaining momentum: registered EVs in Kenya jumped from fewer than 1,400 in 2022 to more than 39,000 in 2025, according to Kenyan officials.
In South Africa, consumers are driving the transition. Data from the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa showed 1,293 EVs were sold between March and May this year, surpassing the previous full-year record of 1,257 units set in 2024. Challenges remain. Charging networks are sparse outside major cities, and high upfront costs limit affordability. Nevertheless, industry observers said Chinese automakers, with their advantages in battery technology and an expanding range of affordable models, are well-positioned to help lower those barriers over time.
XINHUA
