As of March 27, 2022, Ghana had over 1,000 electric vehicles (EVs) operating in the country, marking progress in its shift from fossil-fuel vehicles to electromobility (e-mobility), per. Mr. Kofi Agyarko, Director of Renewables and Energy Efficiency at the Energy Commission (EC), announced this at the maiden public charging forum, stating, “E-mobility has come to stay, and no one can stop it,” per. The transition aims to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, align with global climate goals, and create a “cleaner, healthier, and more affordable future,” per.
Charging Infrastructure Development
Agyarko reported that ten charging facilities were operational, comprising five public charging points and five for a private organization’s fleet, though data on private home chargers was unavailable, per. “Charging infrastructure remains the central nervous system of that drive,” he emphasized, noting its critical role in e-mobility’s success, per. Ms. Doris Agbevivi, e-mobility project coordinator, urged investors to submit letters of intent with company documents to the EC for installing charging stations, per. However, by 2023, only four public Level 2 charging stations existed, all in Accra, highlighting the need for expansion, per.
Policy and Economic Context
Mr. Lawrence Apaalse, Chief Director of the Ministry of Energy, noted that e-mobility could utilize Ghana’s excess electricity generation capacity (2,000 MW in 2022) to address underconsumption, per. A draft memorandum for Cabinet was prepared to outline e-mobility implementation, focusing on affordability and charging accessibility, per. The government’s 2023 Electric Vehicle Policy, launched at COP28, and tax incentives, including an eight-year import duty waiver for public transport EVs, aim to boost adoption, per. Ghana’s 87% electricity access rate supports home charging feasibility, per.
International Collaboration and Insights
The “Drive Electric” forum, organized by the EC, Dundee City Council, and Urban Foresight, facilitated discussions on charging infrastructure, per. Fraser Crichton from Dundee City Council shared that EVs saved hundreds of pounds annually compared to fossil-fuel vehicles, with Dundee’s robust charging network (4 x 50kW and 14 x 22kW chargers) meeting high demand, per. This model offers lessons for Ghana, where charging infrastructure remains limited, per. Agyarko stressed preventing Ghana from becoming a “dumping ground” for internal combustion engine vehicles, per.
Challenges and Future Outlook
Despite progress, challenges persist, including high electricity costs (up 30% in 2023) and limited charging infrastructure, with only 17,660 plug-in EVs imported from 2017–2021, per. Consumer surveys highlight the need for more charging stations and faster charging times, per. The Energy Commission’s 2022 report noted that even adding 50,000 EVs annually would increase electricity consumption by just 2.6%, per. Initiatives like SolarTaxi’s leasing model and the government’s plan for 1,000 electric buses by 2030 signal a growing e-mobility ecosystem.
