Ethiopia opens the new energy era: it becomes the first country in the world to ban the sale of fuel cars!
On 4 February 2024, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Transport and Logistics announced a major decision that will ban fuel vehicles from the country and restrict sales to only electric vehicles. This move makes Ethiopia the first country in the world to officially announce a ban on the sale of fuel cars.
The reason behind the decision is said to be the fact that Ethiopia spends nearly $6 billion on importing fossil fuels in 2023, more than half of which is spent on fuel vehicles. Faced with the high expenses maintained by fuel vehicles, Ethiopia’s transport and logistics minister officially announced the ban on Monday. He said that petrol and diesel are currently unaffordable in Ethiopia, hence the urgent need to shift to more affordable and sustainable electric vehicles.
In the future, Ethiopia will invest heavily in the construction of charging stations for electric vehicles in order to promote their popularity. It is worth noting that this ban on fuel vehicles in Ethiopia is not an ad hoc decision, but rather the result of its massive investment in energy infrastructure over the past 20 years. Although the country has achieved 97 per cent of its energy from renewable sources, it still faces the challenge of inadequate power supply.
The decision has sparked a global focus on new energy sources and sustainable development. In addition to Ethiopia, the European Union, some US states, Canada, Japan, Singapore, India, New Zealand and other countries have also drawn up plans to ban the sale of fuel vehicles, which will be completed by 2040 at the latest. Ethiopia’s initiative signals the arrival of a new energy era in which countries will work together towards a greener, sustainable future.