Shashe Asemare handles the large steering wheel with ease, navigating the mint-green city bus through the notoriously congested streets of Addis Ababa. Ever since the Ethiopian capital introduced 100 new electric buses to its fleet in 2025, she's noticed the benefits.
"These electric buses are very different from the gasoline ones," she said, taking a glance at the cars overtaking to her left. "They don't emit exhaust fumes or make that annoying noise."
With a population of more than 4 million, and many pedestrians, traffic in Addis Ababa can be chaoticImage: AP Photo/picture alliance
The clean, quiet buses have also been a hit with many of the 90,000 passengers who depend on the new rapid transit line for their daily commute, like Zeraye Tekelu.
"They're very comfortable to travel in. They're also better because they don't pollute the air," he said, calling it "a step forward for our country."
