A green vehicle, clean vehicle, eco-friendly vehicle or environmentally friendly vehicle is a road motor vehicle that produces less harmful impacts to the environment than comparable conventional internal combustion engine vehicles running on gasoline or diesel, or one that uses certain alternative fuels.

 Presently, in some countries the term is used for any vehicle complying or surpassing the more stringent European emission standards (such as Euro6), or California‘s zero-emissions vehicle standards (such as ZEVULEVSULEVPZEV), or the low-carbon fuel standards enacted in several countries. While the fuel economy of new cars improves every year, a green car is a car that is considered even more environmentally friendly than gasoline or diesel-powered vehicles because it is powered by alternative fuel or electricity.

Green vehicles represent a commitment to sustainable energy and reduced air pollution. They create fewer greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our dependence on limited fossil fuels, which helps to create energy independence.

ABN staffs approached Sitra Ali, CEO Green Tech Ethiopia, and discuss the newly introduced technology that help improve environmental protection endeavors in the country.

Pursuing initiatives of renewable energy, Green Tech Ethiopia, a private company in the East African country, is igniting brighter hope here with the introduction of electric car to Ethiopian automobile market.

The initiative of Green Tech Ethiopia goes beyond shifting from fuel to electric driven vehicles, as the company has come up with wider vision of multiple benefits ranging from promotion of renewable energy technologies to supporting low and middle income segments of the society, and also creating huge job opportunities and hundreds thousands of entrepreneurs in the country.

As it launches the business with the electric cars currently imported from the Chinese car manufacturer Dongfeng Motor Corporation, the Company says it has a plan to have its own assembly factory in the near future, even to serve foreign markets in the East African sub region.

Green Tech Ethiopia is part of its mother company Green Tech Africa which operates in different countries of African continent in green technologies in general and e-mobility in particular.

Green Tech Africa has already established offices in Kenya, Uganda, and Djibouti. It is also in the process of having one in Somalia.

Sitra Ali of Green Tech Ethiopia says the electric cars, water purifier, and vending machine of water and oil are the three areas which Green Tech Ethiopia introduces for the Ethiopian market in its engagement with renewable energy technologies, to also contribute to waste management endeavors in the country. 

“We have a vision to be one of the five hundred Fortune companies by 2030, 2032; and this can be achieved only when you pursue the path of sustainability with renewable energy.”

Green Tech Ethiopia contributes to the country’s endeavors of alleviating fuel dependency syndrome and green development by reduction of carbon emission. As the government has a resilient vision and development plan that addresses environmental pollution caused by carbon emission, Green Tech Ethiopia’s initiative supports the endeavors through introducing renewable energy transport services.

Dongfeng is one of the four leading car manufacturers globally and has also been working with different multinational motor brands.  The Chinese company and Green Tech Ethiopia have forged the partnership based on win-win situation whereby both companies come to be mutually beneficial by taking advantages of the country’s specific conditions in terms of geographical location and population, and economic situation, says Sitra.

“We have a vision to be one of the five hundred Fortune companies by 2030, 2032; and this can be achieved only when you pursue the path of sustainability with renewable energy,” says Sitra, stating that the electric car may be considered as luxury now, but it will be a necessity in the future.  

According to Sitra, Green Tech Ethiopia is considering to supply the electric cars under three categories, including automobiles, mini or mid-bus, and heavy trucks. They all help in addressing environmental pollution, support low and middle income segments of the society and create job opportunities.

As the electric cars are rechargeable, Sitra underlines on the need to establish charging stations that cater recharging of batteries depending their respective capacities.

“Of course, we need support from bank, investment office, regional governments, land management so on, from all stakeholders.”

With the initiative of the rechargeable electric cars, Green Tech Ethiopia aims to create about 200, 000 entrepreneurs by 2030, and also with the introduction and implementation of 40/60 scheme of owning the cars, whereby 60 percent of the finance will be covered by customers, while Green Tech covers the remaining 40 percent. According to Sitra, the company will also work with micro finances with a view to facilitating loan for customers.

The Company has already imported 200 electric cars, and has plans to import 10,000 electric cars in the future, Sitra says, noting that those committed customers will definitely be beneficiaries of the initiative.

She further says that they have been approaching relevant bodies and institutions such as government offices and banks to garner the necessary support and assistances. “Of course, we need support from bank, investment office, regional governments, land management so on, from all stakeholders,” she says indicating that it, of course requires more efforts to convince all and get them on board.

As Green Tech comes with an initiative, which is new to majority of the society, even to those within the public sector, and which is being implemented in a country with huge population of more than 100 million,  it will have challenges and opportunities. “The opportunities are vast; one is our population of 120 million. It is a good opportunity to serve such a huge population with this kind of technology,” says Sitra.

On the other hand, it would be more difficult and challenging to influence such huge number of people and get them on board; to bring the level of their understanding of the initiative to that of the Company. Secondly, the support and assistance from the government, and the pace at which the government goes and also the company’s expectation is another issue, says Sitra, emphasizing that there are various external forces which directly or indirectly influence the success of private investment. Furthermore, the political volatility as well as the uncertain reactions from manufacturers of fuel vehicles could also affect the move of Green Tech Ethiopia with its initiative.

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