Electric buses for Addis Ababa.

20 Nov, 2006

Residents of Addis Ababa may soon see electric buses on their streets following a deal between a local company and a Russian firm to manufacture the environmentally friendly vehicles in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Afro Asia Technical Trading Enterprise and Russian Trolza Joint Stock Co have agreed to establish a manufacturing plant in the northern Amhara region with an annual output of 500 buses, each of which will have a capacity of 150-200 people. The vehicles will be employed in Ethiopia and exported to four other African countries, including Sudan, according to the same source. The factory is due to become operational early next year and the first buses should be ready for testing in Addis Ababa and other regional capitals six months thereafter. The initiative, which is being set up with an investment of $100 million, is expected to create up to 5,000 jobs.