Ethiopia’s green mobility aspirations were boosted by a landmark partnership between Addis Ababa-based electric vehicle (EV) startup Dodai and the Ethiopian Investment Holdings (EIH) over the past week.
The agreement will see Dodai receive support from the government’s investment arm to deploy 100 battery swap stations in the capital over the next year, with plans to expand to 300 stations over three years.
“Battery swapping is specifically designed for urban environments, making it an ideal solution for e-mobility in Ethiopia’s major cities,” says Yuma Sasaki, Dodai CEO & founder.
While no exact figures have been disclosed, investments between 30 and 40 million dollars are estimated over three years.
“The total cost of building the network will depend on the scale and quality of the battery swap network and operations,” Yuma told Shega. “And Dodai will make a significant investment to establish the infrastructure.”
According to the agreement, EIH will facilitate access to infrastructure and help navigate the regulatory framework. The sovereign wealth fund will also play a major role in securing access to land for the battery swap stations. Through one of EIH’s portfolio of enterprises, the Ethiopian Electric Utility (EEU), a reliable and continuous supply of electricity is also ensured across the stations.
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