China’s Golden Dragon Bus has delivered 100 electric buses to Ethiopia’s Belayneh Kindie Group (BKG).
The project is described as the first of its scale in East Africa and forms part of the Ethiopian capital’s broader shift away from fossil fuel vehicles. The milestone was celebrated with a joint ceremony in Addis Ababa.
This delivery marks a continuation of over a decade of partnership between the two firms, which began in 2014. Their work has focused on improving the standards of public transport in Ethiopia through the introduction of new vehicles and the development of local manufacturing capabilities.
Golden Dragon’s presence in the country has expanded steadily, with nearly 900 new energy buses now in operation across Ethiopia.
Adanech Abebe, Mayor of Addis Ababa said:These electric buses will not only ease citizens' travel pressures but also embody our concrete actions toward green development.
Responding to Ethiopia’s policy focus on technology transfer, Golden Dragon and BKG began constructing a seven-hectare assembly plant in 2019. Despite challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic, the facility was completed in 2023 and began producing electric bus kits in 2024. The project has created 200 technical jobs and aims to train more local personnel to support further development of the electric vehicle supply chain.
This facility is the first of its kind in East Africa and is intended to serve both the Ethiopian market and neighbouring countries. It is seen by both companies as a key step towards industrial development and broader regional engagement in the new energy vehicle sector.
