Ethio Telecom Expands Its EV Charging Community with the Launch of a Third Tremendous-Quick Sensible Station in Addis Ababa

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The station can accommodate as much as 16 autos at a time, making certain environment friendly service for drivers. This brings the entire mixed capability now to 48 autos at a time throughout Ethio Telecom’s Quick Charging Hubs.

Final yr, Ethiopia made the daring step to develop into the primary nation on the earth to completely prohibit the import of inside combustion engine autos. When the preliminary restrictions had been introduced, solely the imports of semi knocked down and utterly knocked down kits of inside combustion engine (ICE) autos destined for native automobile meeting crops had been permitted. There was no particular remedy for anybody and even embassies and diplomats needed to comply. Earlier this yr, Ethiopia moved to additional prohibit imports of ICE autos by together with SKD and CKD kits of ICE autos.

This daring transfer by the Ethiopian authorities has resulted in a surge of electrical automobile registrations. In keeping with Ethiopia’s E-Mobility Technique and Implementation Plan, 2025–2030, over 60% of latest automobile registrations in Ethiopia in 2024 had been electrical autos. EV registrations jumped from 7,000 in 2022 to 115,000 in 2025. This uptake of EVs is supported by Ethiopia’s rising renewable power powered electrical energy producing crops, such because the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The 5,150 MW Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) contributes 15,500 GWh per yr of unpolluted electrical energy to the nation’s power combine. Now that the GERD has been efficiently accomplished, Ethiopia can also be engaged on the 1,800 MW Koysha hydropower plant that’s anticipated to generate round 6.4 GWh per yr. It’s already underneath development and is ready to be accomplished by 2029. Ethiopia’s power combine is already over 90% sourced from renewables.

Because the fleet of electrical autos continues to develop in Ethiopia, naturally, some teething issues are to be anticipated. One of many main issues highlighted by Ethiopians was the dearth of ample public charging infrastructure. Ethio Telecom has heeded this name and launched electrical automobile quick charging hubs. Ethio Telecom says as a part of its unwavering dedication to realizing the nation’s inexperienced legacy and supporting the growing electrical automobile ecosystem with state-of-the-art know-how, it continues to assist the EV ecosystem.

The primary hub consists of:

1. Eight Extremely-Quick Chargers (as much as 600 kW every) — the chargers are able to totally charging appropriate autos inside quarter-hour, enabling fast recharges for drivers on the go.
2. Twelve Tremendous-Quick Chargers (as much as 500 kW every) — delivering high-speed charging with optimum accessibility, and making certain drivers get again on the highway rapidly.
3. Sensible Pole Chargers — built-in into sensible metropolis infrastructure, these Degree II chargers present emergency charging choices for drivers in want and are positioned alongside varied routes.

Different options that leverage Ethio Telecom’s present ecosystem embrace a seamless digital expertise through the telebirr app, that includes:

• The charging station operates 24/7 and is totally powered by the telebirr SuperApp, Ethio Telecom’s digital fee platform.
• Prospects pays for charging providers rapidly, simply, and conveniently with telebirr.
• Drivers can cost their autos independently utilizing telebirr, making certain a seamless, cashless transaction expertise.
• Sensible On-line Monitoring permits real-time monitoring and environment friendly administration through the telebirr SuperApp, making certain seamless connectivity by way of fibre, 4G, or 5G networks.

The Second Hub consists of:

1. 4 Extremely-Quick Chargers (as much as 600 kW) — the chargers are able to totally charging appropriate autos inside quarter-hour relying on the automobile’s capability, enabling fast recharges for drivers on the go. Significantly, for metropolis buses engaged in offering public transport service, fast charging (refueling) permits them to save lots of time and proceed offering their service.
2. Twelve Tremendous-Quick Chargers (as much as 500 kW) — Delivering high-speed charging with optimum accessibility, making certain drivers get again on the highway rapidly.

Final week, Ethio telecom formally inaugurated its third Tremendous-Quick Electrical Automobile Charging Station across the Summit-Fyel Guess space of Addis Ababa.

This newly launched third station is powered by Synthetic Intelligence (AI) and geared up with cutting-edge know-how. It options super-fast chargers able to routinely diagnosing and adapting to numerous automobile specs — with particular compatibility for European EV fashions, addressing a important market hole.

“The station can accommodate as much as 16 autos at a time, making certain environment friendly service for drivers. With this commissioning, our firm’s complete mixed capability now reaches 48 autos at a time throughout the three stations we’ve got constructed.”

The primary two charging station hubs had been able to serving as much as 32 electrical autos at a time alongside each instructions of the Bole–Megenagna hall.

Ethio Telecom says since commencing operations on February 11, 2025, the primary two hubs have served over 165,000 electrical autos, shelling out 4,349,761.54 kilowatt-hours of power. This initiative has efficiently prevented the emission of 6,081,447.62 kilograms of carbon dioxide into the ambiance — an environmental contribution equal to planting greater than 30,444 timber. Since there are about 115,000 electrical autos in Ethiopia, we are able to assume that the 165,000 truly represents the variety of charging classes, as most likely in such an enormous metropolis and on such a busy hall, there could be numerous common drivers frequenting these stations.

So, Ethiopia basically went from zero electrical autos to over 115,000 in about 4 years. That’s unbelievable! We’re seeing super development in different markets, akin to Nepal, as nicely. Lots of people assumed that the transition to electrical energy would solely occur in rich nations akin to Norway and within the main markets that had been pushing exhausting for electrification, akin to China, however we are actually seeing super development even in creating international locations.

One can perceive Ethiopia’s motivation for all of this, although. Ethiopia’s motivation? A excessive fossil gas import invoice of over US$5 billion a yr, taking an enormous chunk of the nation’s scarce international foreign money assets. Substituting an enormous chunk of imported fossil fuels with regionally generated clear renewable electrical energy to energy a good portion of Ethiopia’s fleet will unencumber an enormous portion of scarce international foreign money. Moreover, accelerating the adoption of electrical autos will assist drive down emissions, cleansing up the air in main cities. It’s nice for the African continent too. That’s as a result of we now have an instance and case research from the continent we are able to relate to. It’s an incredible story to inform that the transition shouldn’t be solely occurring in Europe, far-off in Norway, it’s occurring proper right here as nicely.

It truly makes extra sense to affect in international locations which can be closely depending on fossil gas imports that pressure their budgets.