Ethiopia Gets 2,000 Electric Motorbikes, 30,000 Coming

Over 2,000 riders in Ethiopia are now earning their living on electric motorbikes instead of gas-powered bikes, thanks to a homegrown company that's proving clean transport works in Africa's fastest-growing cities.

Dodai, an Ethiopian electric mobility company, just secured $5 million from British International Investment to expand its battery-swapping network across Addis Ababa. The company has already deployed more than 2,000 electric motorbikes since launching three years ago, creating jobs for approximately 100 employees while helping the country move away from fossil fuels.

The funding will help Dodai reach 3,000 battery-swapping users and build 30 stations across Ethiopia's capital within the next 12 months. Within three years, the company plans to scale to 30,000 users and 1,000 battery-swapping stations before expanding to other African cities including Accra, Kinshasa, and Dar es Salaam.

The battery-swapping model solves a critical problem for riders who can't afford to wait hours for charging. Instead of plugging in, riders simply swap depleted batteries for fresh ones at stations scattered throughout the city, keeping them on the road and earning income.

Hilina Legesse, who leads corporate strategy at Dodai, says the investment reflects growing confidence in turning real-world challenges into opportunities. "In just two years, we have deployed over 2,000 electric motorcycles, enabling more than 2,000 riders to earn a living," she said.

The Ripple Effect

The impact goes beyond cleaner air in Addis Ababa. Every electric motorbike creates opportunities for entrepreneurs who might otherwise struggle to afford transportation for their businesses. The model proves that developing countries don't need to follow the same polluting path that richer nations took during their industrial growth.

Ethiopia is hosting COP32, the global climate conference, making the country's commitment to electric mobility even more significant. The UK ambassador to Ethiopia called the project an example of development partnership in action, supporting well-paying jobs while expanding access to affordable transportation.

British International Investment targets at least 25 percent of its investments in frontier markets where private capital remains scarce. The organization also commits 40 percent of new investments to climate finance, recognizing that developing countries need support to build clean infrastructure from the start.

The expansion into other African cities could transform urban transportation across the continent, showing that electric mobility isn't just for wealthy nations with existing infrastructure. Sometimes the best solutions come from places that never had old systems to replace in the first place.