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 whole mixed capability now to 48 autos at a time throughout Ethio Telecom’s Quick Charging Hubs.

Final 12 months, Ethiopia made the daring step to change into the primary nation on the earth to completely prohibit the import of inner combustion engine autos. When the preliminary restrictions have been introduced, solely the imports of semi knocked down and utterly knocked down kits of inner combustion engine (ICE) autos destined for native automobile meeting crops have been permitted. There was no particular remedy for anybody and even embassies and diplomats needed to comply. Earlier this 12 months, 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 accordance with Ethiopia’s E-Mobility Technique and Implementation Plan, 2025–2030, over 60% of recent automobile registrations in Ethiopia in 2024 have 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 12 months of fresh electrical energy to the nation’s power combine. Now that the GERD has been efficiently accomplished, Ethiopia can be engaged on the 1,800 MW Koysha hydropower plant that’s anticipated to generate round 6.4 GWh per 12 months. It’s already below development and is about 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 shortage 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 rising electrical automobile ecosystem with state-of-the-art know-how, it continues to help 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 suitable 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 street shortly.
3. Sensible Pole Chargers — built-in into good metropolis infrastructure, these Degree II chargers present emergency charging choices for drivers in want and are positioned alongside numerous routes.

Different options that leverage Ethio Telecom’s current ecosystem embody a seamless digital expertise by way of 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.
• Clients will pay for charging companies shortly, simply, and conveniently with telebirr.
• Drivers can cost their autos independently utilizing telebirr, making certain a seamless, cashless transaction expertise.
• Sensible On-line Monitoring allows real-time monitoring and environment friendly administration by way of the telebirr SuperApp, making certain seamless connectivity via 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 suitable autos inside quarter-hour relying on the automobile’s capability, enabling fast recharges for drivers on the go. Notably, 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 street shortly.

Final week, Ethio telecom formally inaugurated its third Tremendous-Quick Electrical Car 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 mechanically diagnosing and adapting to varied automobile specs — with particular compatibility for European EV fashions, addressing a crucial 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 now have constructed.”

The primary two charging station hubs have 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 bushes. Since there are about 115,000 electrical autos in Ethiopia, we will assume that the 165,000 really represents the variety of charging classes, as in all probability in such a giant metropolis and on such a busy hall, there could be loads of common drivers frequenting these stations. 

So, Ethiopia primarily went from zero electrical autos to over 115,000 in about 4 years. That’s unimaginable! We’re seeing super progress in different markets, similar to Nepal, as properly. Lots of people assumed that the transition to electrical energy would solely occur in rich nations similar to Norway and within the main markets that have been pushing exhausting for electrification, similar to China, however we at the moment are seeing super progress even in creating nations.

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 12 months, taking an enormous chunk of the nation’s scarce overseas forex sources. 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 unlock an enormous portion of scarce overseas forex. 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 examine from the continent we will relate to. It’s a terrific story to inform that the transition will not be solely occurring in Europe, distant in Norway, it’s occurring proper right here as properly.

It really makes extra sense to affect in nations which might be closely depending on fossil gas imports that pressure their budgets.