Ethiopia announced a complete ban on the import of fuel vehicles, becoming the first country in the world to explicitly ban the entry of fuel vehicles.
Recently, the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics announced that it will ban fuel vehicles from entering the country, and only provide exemptions for electric vehicles. In this regard, Ethiopia became the first country in the world to explicitly ban the entry of fuel vehicles.
According to the latest news from the country's parliament, Ethiopia's Minister of Transport and Logistics, Alemu Sime, recently announced the completion of the National Logistics Master Plan. Planning details are scarce, but he declared: "A decision has been made that you cannot enter Ethiopia unless it is an electric vehicle." ”
***birr metrics**。
The main reason for the ban on the import of fuel vehicles is the severe shortage of foreign exchange, which has affected its ability to import oil and other raw materials. Ethiopia's economy is dependent on agriculture, is weak, and imports large quantities from abroad every year. Alemu Sime said that at the moment Ethiopia can no longer afford petrol and diesel. It is reported that Ethiopia spent nearly $6 billion on importing fossil fuels in 2023, more than half of which was used for fuel vehicles, and its GDP was only $126.2 billion in the same year (estimated).
Of course, Ethiopia's announcement of a ban on the import of fuel vehicles is not a temporary idea. Back in October 2022, Ethiopia issued a ban on the import of about 38 items in order to salvage its dwindling foreign exchange reserves, including "cars and tricycles (except electric vehicles)". The ban did not take effect immediately at that time, and in November 2023, the Ethiopian Customs Committee gave a final ultimatum that from the end of November 2023, no commercial company would be allowed to import any of the above 38 items. The import of gasoline-powered vehicles has been largely banned.
In fact, countries have medium- to long-term timetables for switching between old and new energy sources. For instance, in February 2023, the European Union approved a law banning the sale of conventional internal combustion engine vehicles from 2035. Some states in the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, the United Kingdom and other countries and regions also have similar bans on the way. Ethiopia, by contrast, can't wait for 2035 and is moving forward to 2024 and is aiming for imported cars.
Alemu Sime said that the promotion of electric vehicles and the construction of supporting charging stations are a high priority. He also said that Ethiopia has an abundant electricity capacity and its low cost compared to fossil fuels, making electric vehicles a viable alternative to gasoline vehicles. Ethiopia has been investing heavily in energy infrastructure over the past 20 years, with hydropower now accounting for 90% of Ethiopia's electricity output, while wind and waste-to-energy projects are also developing, according to previous reports.
Ethiopia's ban on fuel vehicles is an opportunity for Chinese automakers. In the era of fuel vehicles, Japanese cars have a large market share in Africa, and in the era of electric vehicles, Chinese car companies have a greater advantage. For Chinese automakers scrambling to go overseas, Ethiopia's ban may bring new growth opportunities.
Text丨China Automotive News reporter Zhang Dongmei.