Exclusive Electric Vehicles Garages Spring Up in Addis Ababa

As the nation embraces electric mobility, exclusive EV garages like Gerar are emerging in Addis Ababa to address the unique needs of EV owners and overcome hurdles in the nascent industry.

Right in front of the fuel depot at Addis Ababa Bole International Airport lies a hub crowded with electric vehicles (EVs). The area resembles a showcase for the Volkswagen series, not to mention the Mercedes EQ, BYD Seagull, and Toyota bz4x parked in the premise.

On a foggy day two weeks ago, Birhanu brought his gray Volkswagen Intelligent Design (ID) 6 to this place. He is hoping to find a solution to the problem he is facing with his car.

“It keeps giving me alerts with red lights,” he says. Birhanu bought his ID6 for 4.2 million birr, expecting to cut fuel costs. “It helped me save a fortune,” says Birhanu. According to Birhanu, who is a contractor, servicing an EV is a little expensive, but considering the savings, he believes it’s a fair deal. “I am not spending money on oil changes or fuel, so it’s not that bad to pay a little extra compared to fuel cars,” he smiles.

The place he went was Gerar EV Garage, one of the few emerging exclusive EV garages in the capital.

Despite the garage catching up with the times, Gerar has been in business since 1979. “It used to be our family’s business. Currently, my brother and I run it,” Zelalem Bayu, CEO of Girar EV Garage, told Shega.

“My passion for cars goes back to my childhood. I used to look around the garage when I was a kid and eventually learning about cars as a teenager. The mechanics who worked around used to let me drive cars when my dad wasn’t around,” says Zelalem with a smile, reminiscing about his childhood.

Zelalem completed his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering back in 2002. After completing his classes, he joined the Ethiopian Airlines maintenance crew and have been on duty for over ten years. He also worked for Malawian Airlines for two years under Ethiopian Airlines until the days of the pandemic.

Gerar made the leap to exclusively work on EV cars around a year ago after the brothers saw the demand. The change was also not difficult to make considering Zelalem’s existing experience with fuel cars and electrical components.

Ethiopia has taken drastic measures towards an EV future. In February, the Ethiopian government banned the import of gas and diesel vehicles to boost EV adoption.

But the EV transition has been quite bumpy. Electric car drivers in Ethiopia face a unique set of challenges due to the country’s current infrastructure, economic conditions, and market maturity.

Difficult collateral requirements and short repayment periods are discouraging would-be electric vehicle (EV) buyers and putting a damper on the government’s crusade for green mobility.

Commercial banks, who are mistrustful of battery life guarantees, are enforcing five-year repayment periods for loans they disburse for the purchase of EVs, as opposed to the 10-year periods credit officers grant for other vehicle loans. Banks are also requiring EV buyers to provide additional collateral for long-term loans.

Currently, insurance companies charge a premium of between 1.5 and 2 percent of the insured electric vehicle’s market value. In addition to other fees, the premium for electric vehicles is roughly 25 percent greater than the premium paid by owners of fuel-powered vehicles.

Moreover, the mistrust the public holds towards EV vehicles has made the vehicles have a low resale value, a stark contrast to the current reality where vehicles are used as assets to hold against inflation.

Gerar is visited by an average of five to ten EV drivers weekly. He says that unless the cars have been in an accident requiring body repair, most issues brought to the garage are minor.

“Almost all malfunctions and failures are reported on the screen. Mainly, drivers fail to address these issues,” Zelalem told Shega.

According to the electrician and mechanic, the primary problem with EVs and their drivers is miscommunication, as almost all EVs are composed of computers. Interestingly, the Volkswagen ID series is the most common EV that is brought to the garage. Again, he attributes this to drivers’ misunderstanding their cars.

“Volkswagen’s approach to intelligent design emphasizes integrating multiple computers and systems for an advanced automotive experience. The VW Intelligent Design series, such as ID.4, ID.5, ID.6, comprises over eight major computer systems, excluding infotainment. Everything is computer-controlled, and drivers must rely on the notification panel to interact with the car. If one device malfunctions, the car automatically stops working,” he explained.

The car displays notifications for overheated batteries or low battery levels. “It will lock the gear shifting system, preventing a switch from park to drive mode,” said Zelalem.

Another crucial factor is the coolant level. While electric cars don’t have traditional internal combustion engines, they require coolant to maintain optimal battery and electronic component temperatures. Antifreeze, or coolant, plays this vital role.

“If the coolant level is below the limit, the car might refuse to start and will display a refill coolant notification,” said Zelalem. This was the issue that brought Birhanu to Gerar. EV coolant costs 3,000 birr per liter, and the ID.6 can hold 8 to 12 liters. Zelalem recommends maintaining a level of six to five liters. In comparison, fuel car coolant averages 150 to 300 birr per liter.

At Gerar, the service checkup for EVs driven less than 2,000 km is fixed at 2,000 birr. For higher mileage, the price varies based on the car’s issues. Additionally, Zelalem told Shega that the average price for EV spare parts like lights and other related items ranges from 100,000 to 150,000 birr.

“I suggest that users read the manual that comes with the car. If they do, they can fix almost 50 percent of the problems just by following the instructions listed,” he stresses.

Gerar has not yet had an EV come in for a battery replacement, but in one or two years, the capital might see cars needing that service, states Zelalem. “The cost of batteries may reach millions in the coming years,” he explains.

On spares and maintenance, Zelalem states that there are three or four garages that fix electric vehicles in the capital. He believes there are many opportunities for mechanics to enter the market. “The most commonly used spare parts are also abundant in the capital at a fair price,” he added.

Speculations relating to water exposure damaging to EVs are also common. However, the expert dismisses these claims, saying, “Every EV is sealed, so it won’t be damaged by water; even the chargers won’t be affected by water.”

Another widely speculated rumor is that rodents damage EV cables. Interestingly, this is true and a global phenomenon. A Google search for “rats ate my car wires” returns dozens of pages of results, from local news stories to forums where users trade tips to repel rodents.

“Here at Gerar, we have come up with a solution to install LED lights inside the hood. Any rats that might get inside the compartment will be disturbed by the light, so they won’t stay in the car.”

Zelalem also recommends buying well-known EV brands for quality, warranty, and spare part availability. “Cheap is expensive,” he warns.