Africa Imports 44,358 EVs from China in 2025

Nairobi, Kenya — Electric vehicle adoption is surging across Africa, led by Ethiopia, where fuel shortages and high prices have driven a shift to cleaner, cheaper transport amid an ongoing war involving Iran.

Africa imported 44,358 electric vehicles from China in 2025, according to China's Commerce Ministry, more than double the 19,386 imported in 2024. The shipments were valued at over $200 million. Ethiopia accounted for a third of those imports, outpacing South Africa, Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria. The country now has more than 115,000 EVs on its roads, representing about 8 percent of the national fleet. This boom followed Ethiopia's 2024 ban on new gas and diesel vehicle imports.

Fuel disruptions from Iran's effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for a fifth of global Gulf oil, have exacerbated shortages. Ethiopia faces annual fuel import costs of $4.2 billion, straining foreign reserves, plus up to $128 million monthly in subsidies. Shipments fell short by more than 180,000 metric tons, according to Minister of Trade and Regional Integration Kassahun Gofe. The government has accelerated EV promotion as a buffer against such shocks.