Ethiopia To Ban Import Of Fuel-Powered Vehicles In Bold Move Towards Green Mobility

Ethiopia has announced plans to ban the importation of fuel-powered vehicles, shifting its focus exclusively to electric vehicles (EVs). 

Alemu Sime, the Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics, announced the bold move as part of the country’s comprehensive green mobility strategy.

Electric Vehicles Only

According to Sime, Ethiopia spent €6 billion ($7.6 billion) on petrol and diesel imports in 2023. Additionally, pollution levels in city centers due to cars are reportedly off the charts.

Now, the government has decided to allow only EVs into the country by banning gasoline and diesel-powered cars.

The proposed decision is expected to be strictly enforced, and existing fossil-powered vehicle owners will be subjected to rigorous smoke tests.

Cars that fail the test will be deemed unfit for the road and removed accordingly.

Implementing A Greener Future

This policy is a significant step in Ethiopia’s Ten Years Development Plan, which aims to introduce a substantial number of electric vehicles by 2030, marking a major shift towards sustainable transportation in the region.

The decision aligns with Ethiopia’s goals to reduce pollution and the high costs of fuel imports.

The Ethiopian government has been proactive in encouraging the use of EVs, including implementing tax exemptions for electric cars.

Ethiopia now reportedly has about 7,200 EVs out of 1.2 million cars on its roads.