Nice one Ethiopia
this post was submitted on 04 Feb 2024
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fuck cars
The easiest way to ensure that would be to get rid of all gasoline-based gas stations and replace them with electric ones. So even if someone tries to sneak in a gas car, they won't be able to refill it.
That wouldn't work, there are zillions of existing ICE cars there already in use. They aren't banning ICE cars that are already there, just banning importation of new ones
Not to mention non-street legal ICE engines, like generators, water pumps or ag equipment. We should be pursing less reliance on fossil fuels, but in the correct order. More EVs means more need for reliable power infrastructure. Then we wouldn't need generators, irrigation pumps become easier to run from electricity and tractors can be migrated to EV or fueled by biofuels(biogas or biodiesel) to fill the gap.
I hope they build a lot of transit too
*China has entered the chat
It seems like this article doesn't hold up too scrutiny:
https://kbin.social/m/[email protected]/t/809052/-/comment/4961022
Thanks. I'll edit.
Cheers!
Many old cars that are no longer allowed in european cities end up exported to Africa. This leap-frogging move (esp if others copy) changes the outlook - depreciation of ic-cars accelerates, europeans might have to recycle more. Otoh, there are not yet so many 2nd-hand e-cars, so poorer people in rural areas of Ethiopia might be stuck - unless there is plenty of public transport even outside of cities? Wonder whether it applies to (mini-)buses?
Also only 51% of Ethipians have access to electricity. That is access for at least four hours a day and enough to charge a phone, have some light and other light tasks. Charging an EV is another league entirly.
So this might backfire badly. At the same time it makes oil infrastructure obsolete and China is selling extremely cheap EVs these days. The BYD Seagull at $11,000 is rather competitive for a new car and something like a Guang Hong Mini for $4500 is also available. Obviously that is not used cars territory, but we are going to see second hand cars of these cars as well and they will be even cheaper.
Seems like a surprising move, of all the countries that can do it I’d have thought Ethiopia would be near the bottom.
I guess this would also only apply to individuals and not HGVs?
I’m pro trying it, but have my doubts about how viable this is.
Per the article, viability is caused by an inability to afford oil, so electric becomes appreciably more reliable by comparison.
In hindsight it makes sense that smaller countries that might struggle to import oil would be the first ones to convert. They already have to supply electricity, why supply a second form of energy too?
Kind of like how developing countries tend to skip over landline phones and go straight to cell phones. Why bother with that whole other form of infrastructure?
They recently completed a huge hydro-electric dam and subsequently electricity supply at least in the capital improved quite a bit.
Doesn't this exclude the vast majority of people who can't afford an electric car?
Car ownership in Ethiopia is something like 1% of the population. Most of them are taxis.
The vast majority use buses.
That is certainly a good way to keep Fano from acquiring tacticals.
Great news nevertheless.
pure chinese lobby