Johnson Progress

Zimbabwe is accelerating efforts to transition towards a cleaner, more efficient and sustainable transport system through the adoption of electric vehicles, with government officials and stakeholders recently convening in Harare for a project aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions.

The initiative, titled “Supporting the Shift to Electric Mobility in Zimbabwe,” is backed by the Global Environment Facility and seeks to promote a smarter and more sustainable mobility system.

The project is also aligned with Zimbabwe’s long-term low-emission development strategy.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Mr Simon Masanga, said the initiative would bring several benefits to the country, particularly in the public transport sector.

He noted that the project is being implemented across 60 countries, adding that “it is the right way to begin with in terms of public transport.”

Transport and Infrastructural Development Permanent Secretary Engineer Joy Makumbe said the project would help strengthen institutional frameworks, modernise public transport and safeguard the environment.

She outlined the project’s objective, stating that it seeks to “accelerate Zimbabwe’s transition to electric mobility, focused on enabling institutional and policy frameworks for integrated e-mobility systems.”

Engineer Makumbe further explained that the initiative would demonstrate electric public transport through an e-bus pilot, scale up and replicate the model through regulations, standards and financing mechanisms, and ensure long-term environmental sustainability.

She added that this includes the end-of-life management of electric vehicles and batteries.

Government has committed to reducing national greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent per capita by 2030, with the transport sector identified as a priority area.

According to Mr Masanga, the project is expected to contribute an estimated 533,191 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in direct emissions reductions and catalyse a further 1.24 million tonnes of indirect reductions by 2039.

Mr Masanga said the project carries important environmental co-benefits beyond its climate credentials, including improving urban air quality and reducing noise pollution in cities.

He emphasised that it has been designed to address, from the outset, the environmentally sound management of end-of-life electric vehicles and batteries.

He explained that this ensures “our transition to cleaner mobility does not create a new generation of hazardous waste.”

The initiative comes as Zimbabwe’s registered vehicle fleet has grown more than fivefold over the past decade, from around 300,000 vehicles in 2010 to more than 1.5 million in 2023.

The majority of these vehicles are fuel-dependent, making the shift to electric mobility critical for supporting the country’s climate commitments.

The transition is therefore expected to contribute to cleaner and more sustainable urban transport while reducing the nation’s carbon footprint.