Tuesday July 28 2020
Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed receives first electric car assembled in Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s running legend Haile Gebrselassie (left) explains features of the Hyundai electric car to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed after he presented the car to the leader in Addis Ababa on July 27, 2020. PHOTO | ETHIOPIAN EMBASSY
Summary
- Once fully charged, the electric car can go for 300 kilometers.
- The plant, which opened in March, has a capacity to produce 10,000 cars a year.
By TESFA-ALEM TEKLE
Ethiopia has unveiled a locally-assembled electric car from Marathon Motor, a joint venture between Korean auto giant Hyundai and Olympic champion Haile Gebreselassie.
Mr Gebresselassie on Monday delivered the vehicle to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.
“As we transform #Ethiopia’s greening & climate resilient aspirations into concrete actions through the #GreenLegacy initiative and Sheger & Entoto Parks, this morning I received the first electric car fully assembled in Ethiopia. No emission cars can help reduce pollution,” the PM said in a tweet.
Once fully charged, the electric car can go for 300 kilometers. The plant, which opened in March, has a capacity to produce 10,000 cars a year.
Last year, over three billion trees were planted in Ethiopia in the greening and climate resilience initiative championed by the Prime Minister.
This year, the East African nation has so far planted nearly four billion trees.