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China EV Exports to Africa More Than Double in Two Years
African countries imported more than 44,000 electric vehicles from China in 2025, up from more than 19,000 in 2024, according to China’s commerce ministry. A third of the 2025 imports went to Ethiopia, which banned gas- and diesel-fueled vehicles the previous year. EV adoption is also accelerating in Egypt, Morocco and South Africa.
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African countries imported more than 44,000 electric vehicles from China in 2025, according to China’s commerce ministry. That figure more than doubled the more than 19,000 imported in 2024. Semafor reported that demand is rising as the continent seeks to reduce reliance on imported fuel.
A third of the 2025 electric vehicles imported by African countries from China were destined for Ethiopia. Ethiopia banned imports of gas- and diesel-fueled vehicles in 2024. The policy has accelerated the shift toward electric models.
Egypt has launched a major push toward EV use. Bob Wesonga, policy and investments lead at the Africa E-Mobility Alliance, told The Associated Press that EVs had already eased pressure on fuel demand.
“A private EV owner now spends roughly $4 a month on charging compared to about $27 previously spent on fuel,” he said. ” The surge in imports coincides with broader efforts across the continent to address energy costs and supply risks. Data from China’s commerce ministry show the increase occurred entirely within the past two years.
Ethiopia’s outright ban on internal-combustion imports provided the clearest single policy signal.
