this post was submitted on 02 Jun 2026
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Electric Vehicles

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Electric vehicles have taken off in Ethiopia. Key to the shift: a world-first ban on importing fossil fuel-powered vehicles.

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[–] EatYourOrach@lemmy.ca 54 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Ethiopia generates more than 96% of its electricity from renewable hydropower...

TIL

For many in Ethiopia, where salaries are often less than €1000 a year, the starting price of a new electric car — €17,000 ($19,700/3.2 million Ethiopian birr) — is steep. But taxi driver Abdurahman Ali is happy he made the switch. [...] "Before switching [...] every month I would spend 40,000-50,000 birr on fuel. Since switching to electric and charging at home, my monthly costs have dropped to about 5,000 birr, at most. That's a huge difference."

That's massive! Roughly, from €250 to €25 a month? Fuck, that's some fabulous news right there. Go on, Mr. Ali!

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 12 points 2 weeks ago

in a nation where around half of the population of more than 110 million still lives without electricity.

[–] hanrahan@slrpnk.net 7 points 2 weeks ago

Hell, even here in Australia I charge my ecar and ebike from solar panels on my roof >80% of the time, the rest of the time I use the cheap over night tarrif

this in a country with the highest penetrations of roof top solar and still something like 85% of new cars are oil burners and we import nearly all our fuel, fucking stupid people beyond words. (I'm talking about new car buyers here)

[–] RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

That’s pretty cool actually.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 5 points 2 weeks ago

and yet, North American companies cannot do this math.

[–] ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world 19 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

When will Madagascar get mad at gas car?

[–] adhdsergio@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago

I don't know if there's a dad jokes section, but you deserve to be there, dad

[–] betanumerus@lemmy.ca 9 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

Thanks for spearheading this. I'm looking forward to see what an ICE-free downtown sounds and smells like.

[–] SaveTheTuaHawk@lemmy.ca 2 points 2 weeks ago

Go to Shanghai

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Ethiopian food, coffee, and space ships

[–] QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world 9 points 2 weeks ago

Wow, this is amazing. 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 8 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

So this doesn't ban them wholesale. The article says it bans importing cars with gasoline and diesel engines.

Anyone know if this applies to 2 wheeled vehicles like 2 cycle mopeds or motorcycles?

[–] bstix@feddit.dk 8 points 2 weeks ago

The ban includes all fossil fueled vehicles.

In addition, motorcycles were completely banned in the capital in 2019 to curb crime.

As you write, they are building domestic production of electric mopeds and cars.

It's a plan they've been doing for a few years by now. They want energy independence and to be the main supplier for the African car market.

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Update: there is at least some domestic car manufacturing in Ethiopia. They said there's 17 plants for EVs in the article.

I wonder how many plants in the country make ICE cars.

[–] Anivia@feddit.org 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

Good ICE engines are extremely hard to build. Modern ICE engines are pretty much an engineering miracle, which is one of the reasons China never managed to get into the market of ICE cars, and why Korean cars took decades to catch up to western manufacturers

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Modern ICE engines are still terrible.

They're like, what, 20% efficient? It's just trash technology

[–] Anivia@feddit.org 3 points 2 weeks ago

Yes, I agree, EVs are much better. I'm just pointing out that domestic ICE production is difficult. Building electric motors is easy

[–] mintiefresh@piefed.ca 7 points 2 weeks ago

Wow that is a major step. Hope they're ready for it .... seems amazing though.

[–] AlteredEgo@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I mean I still believe you could DIY build an electric car for like 5000€ pretty much out of bicycle parts. Even if it only goes 50kmh that would be enough for city travel.

[–] klar@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

May I introduce you to the Citroën AMI / Fiat Topolino?

[–] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 3 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Race cars aren't great daily drivers.

[–] klar@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] SomethingBurger@jlai.lu 1 points 2 weeks ago

100 lap race with 9 Citroen Amis, with the engine unlocked to reach 70km/h.

Full race here (commentary in French)

[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Whaat?

Incredible if true!

[–] quick_snail@feddit.nl 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[–] Valmond@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

dw.com ? Maybe a good source of information, maybe not 🤷🏼‍♀️ gotta stay vigilant.

It appears that it's not a ban on ICE cars, but a step in the right direction.

[–] I_Clean_Here@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Then check the sources and learn, my friend. It's not hard.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deutsche_Welle

Deutsche Welle (German: [ˈdɔʏtʃə ˈvɛlə] ⓘ; lit. 'German Wave'[3][4]), commonly shortened to DW, is a German state-funded television network and public service[1] international broadcaster funded by the Federal Government of Germany.[5]

[–] budget_biochemist@slrpnk.net 2 points 2 weeks ago

To be specific, the ban is only on new imports of cars. Doesn't effect any domestic production of petrol cars, (or all existing vehicles). Still a big step of course.