Electric & hybrid cars in Ethiopia

Why Ethiopia is going electric

Ethiopia banned the import of new internal combustion vehicles in 2024, becoming the first country in the world to do so. The result: an EV market that grew faster than anywhere else in Africa. By 2026 there are roughly 15,000 electric passenger cars on Ethiopian roads — more than four times the EV stock in South Africa.

The market is dominated by Chinese imports. BYD leads by far, with the Seagull and Dolphin hatchbacks priced from around 2.5M ETB and the Atto 3 and Song SUVs in the 4-6M ETB range. Chery, Geely and Avatr are scaling fast. Premium imports like Denza and AITO are starting to appear at the higher end.

What to check before buying an EV in Ethiopia

• Battery health. Ask for the latest State-of-Health (SoH) reading. Anything below 85% on a used EV is worth negotiating.
• Charging access.Confirm there's a charger you can use at home or nearby. Public charging is growing but still patchy.
• Service network. BYD and Chery have authorized service centers in Addis. Newer brands may require shipping parts.
• Documentation. Verify VIN, libre, and that the car was imported as an EV (not converted).