Ethiopia’s government moved aggressively in 2024 by banning the import of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines while cutting import duties on electric vehicles. Since then, officials say EVs have grown from under 1% of new and used vehicles entering the country to about 6%, a share that sits above a reported global average of roughly 4%. For a net fuel importer, cutting gasoline and diesel consumption can also reduce exposure to global price swings and hard currency shortages. Alongside the ban, Ethiopia lowered import taxes to make EVs far more competitive. At Hallel Cars in Addis Ababa, a BYD Seagull hatchback has been listed at about 3.6 million Ethiopian birr, roughly $23,000.

Source: Ethiopian News March 05, 2026 13:30 UTC