Ethiopia will build the first electric cars in Africa

Tigrai Online, March 10, 2015

Global Electric Transportation an American company will start making electric cars in Ethiopia in September 2015

Global Electric Transportation (GET) a cutting edge American company will start the project in September 2015 according the CEO of the company Ken Monter. Once the factory is finished it will produce just about 4000 electric cars a month he added.

The US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Patricia M. Haslach and the chief executive officer of Global Electric Transportation of the US, Ken Monter had discussed the project with the Ethiopian President Teshome Mulatu.

Patricia M. Haslach said the United States was expanding its strong relationship with Ethiopia not only in the sectors of peace and security, but also in the economic sphere. The electric car plant is part of this initiative by the US, she added. The carbon free cars will help with the enviroment and the safty of the users. 

Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the Ethiopian government is making sure the growth does not come at the cost of environmental cost to the people of the giant country in the Horn of Africa. It is to be recalled Ethiopia is the leading country in wind energy in Africa having completed two big wind farm projects in the past few years. The ever expanding green Ethiopian economy has attracted some big international companies.

The electric cars assembly plant will create many jobs and transfer of technology in Ethiopia. As the whole world of manufacturing is desperately moving from the traditional polluting way of making things Ethiopia is strategically placing it’self to be in the for front leading Africa.

Ethiopia with about 92 million people, a stable government and an economy growing about 11% a year is very attractive to investors.

The Ethiopian government should encourage domestic and international investors to invest in the next level manufacturing, which would include manufacturing of motors, industrial machinery, and research & development.