Ministry Pins Hope on Electric Vehicles to Cut Pollution
ADDIS ABEBA – Ministry of Transport in talks with various stakeholders on ways to encourage electric vehicles as the presence of old cars continues to become major causes of pollution in the country.
The discussion has brought officials, vehicle importers, assemblers, and manufactures together to look into ways we can work together and potential solutions to tackle existing challenges in expanding electric mobility in Ethiopia.
Noting 75 percent of greenhouse effect is caused by the transport sector, said Dagmawit Moges, Transport Minister, and pointed out that electric cars play a vital role in minimizing the air pollution that is threatening the environment.
“At midst of this exciting time for clean energy technologies, it’s going to be an important milestone to transform our transport sector.
The minister further stressed the need for enhanced participation by the private companies in Ethiopia to engage in emission free industries such as electric vehicles.
“Expanding electric mobility in of Ethiopia will help create an efficient urban transport & put our cities on track towards sustainability,” Dagmawit said.
Government’s green economy and climate resilient vision encourages the use of electric vehicles to help reduce pollution caused by transportation services, so is the ministry’s draft 10 year plan.
Investors too are happy with the government’s move to include their views as they believe the importance of the technology for green development as paramount, noted Melkamu Assefa, Managing Director of Marathon Motor Engineering.
“Electric cars minimize air and sound pollution, provide low cost of energy and create new jobs,” said Melkamu who explained his company’s intention to expand the technology and manufacture more electric cars.
He and his colleagues, however, said lack of electric charge stations and skilled human power are some of the key challenges currently facing the sector.
