Emerging trends in electric vehicles in Côte d’Ivoire
The market for electric vehicles is gradually developing on the African continent. The main economic power in the West African Economic and Monetary Union, Côte d’Ivoire, has seen particular momentum in recent years. With a GDP of nearly 71 billion US dollars and expected to reach 101 billion US dollars by 2026, Côte d’Ivoire is a land of opportunity for foreign investors. Côte d’Ivoire has a favorable business environment conducive to creating sustainable wealth. Its welcoming policies towards foreign investors, abundant resources (as a foundation for economic development), stable currency exchange rates and strategic geographical location have made Côte d’Ivoire stand out in industries with great potential, such as green energy. Current situation of electricity in Côte d’Ivoire Côte d’Ivoire has almost achieved universal access to electricity in urban areas, but about 8.3 million people in rural areas still do not have regular access to electricity. The main reason for the low electricity access rate of 33% in rural areas is the high upfront grid connection costs, especially in the central and northern regions. The government has made grid extension the primary electrification policy and launched the “Electricity for All Program” with the goal of achieving 100% access to electricity, including in rural areas, by the end of 2025. Additional construction and increased available resources are urgently needed to expand electricity access in rural areas. Although Côte d’Ivoire’s current per capita emissions are not high, the country still needs to invest more in the field of renewable energy in order to ensure that development can remain at a relatively high level and achieve low carbon environmental protection in the future with population growth. The journey to decarbonization: the path to a green future Transport accounts for 20% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and in mega-urban areas this proportion is as high as 40%. This pollution has increased by an average of 1.7% per year for 30 years. According to the International Energy Agency, greenhouse gases from transport must be reduced by more than 3% per year to achieve net zero emissions by 2030. Without alternatives to carbon-based transport, carbon emissions in the world’s fastest-growing cities will continue to rise. Passenger transport demand could increase by 75% by 2050 compared to 2019 levels, with catastrophic consequences for the planet if these carbon emissions are not drastically reduced. Côte d’Ivoire ratified the Paris Agreement in October 2016. Its renewable energy targets for autonomous supply include achieving 42% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2030, of which 26% will come from hydropower, at an estimated cost of USD 12.9 billion, which is in line with the targets of the National Action Plan for Renewable Energy (PANER). The development of small hydropower stations, off-grid solar power stations, biomass and biogas energy use is also mentioned in the national autonomous supply, but without quantitative targets. To achieve these targets, Côte d’Ivoire’s electricity generation should gradually shift from natural gas to renewable energy sources. Between 2016 and 2018, the country doubled the share of renewable electricity generation from 15% to 30%. It achieved this by replacing about 17% of natural gas generation with hydropower (IRENA, 2020b). International public investment has been particularly important for Côte d’Ivoire to accelerate the achievement of its nationally determined contribution (NDC) targets. Between 2010 and 2018, international public investment totalled USD 1 billion (IRENA, 2020a). A large amount of public investment was focused on hydropower, in particular the Gribo-Popoli hydropower project in 2017 ($459 million) and the Soubre hydropower project in 2013 ($485 million). Increasing public investment could be a key strategic objective for Côte d’Ivoire, given the link between public investment in these projects and the increase in renewable electricity from hydropower. Côte d’Ivoire is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30.41% by 2030 and intends to strengthen its resilience to climate change. Côte d’Ivoire’s legislative framework and ecosystem are conducive to the development of a green economy, and the government has also increased awareness of the development of green energy in the report on the National Sustainable Development Strategy 20212025. In 2024, the Côte d’Ivoire Tax Administration’s annex included information to encourage businesses to use renewable energy, sending a signal that the government is gradually focusing on greening the economy. In March 2024, the International Monetary Fund provided Côte d’Ivoire with a loan worth US$1.3 billion for resilience and sustainable development (FRD). To this end, the Côte d’Ivoire government has set a target of 10% of the country’s road traffic being electric vehicles. The overall state of the Côte d’Ivoire car market · It is estimated that the passenger car market revenue will reach 135.8 million US dollars in 2024, with an estimated annual growth rate of revenue (CAGR 2024-2029) of 0.18%. The market size is expected to reach 137 million US dollars by 2029. · The largest number of passenger cars in the market are SUV models, and their market size is expected to reach 52.2 million US dollars in 2024. Toyota: In 2023, Toyota will have a significant presence in the Ivorian car market, accounting for 25% of total sales. Toyota Motor Corporation and the Ivorian government signed an agreement to establish an automobile assembly plant in the West African country. The agreement, which was officially signed during the Japan-Africa Development Conference in Yokohama, Japan, marks an important step in Toyota’s commitment to the African automotive sector. The assembly plant has not yet been completed, but after an interview with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa in Abidjan in April 2024, Ivorian head of state Ouattara called for the establishment of a “Toyota” car assembly plant in Côte d’Ivoire “as quickly as possible”. Suzuki: In 2020, Suzuki had a market share of about 18% in Côte d’Ivoire. It performed well in the region, especially the Suzuki Vitara and the Suzuki Alto taxi for the city, which are widely used in cities such as Abidjan. Although specific market share data for 2023 is not readily available, based on recent performance, Suzuki is likely to continue to
Emerging trends in electric vehicles in Côte d’Ivoire Read More »










