The Ministry of Infrastructure said the Government of Rwanda was set to invest in building electric vehicle charging stations in areas where returns were not high enough to attract private investors, a move intended to allow EV owners to travel to different parts of the country without worrying about where to recharge.
The plan was part of efforts to expand the use of electric vehicles in Rwanda and ensure that drivers could travel across the country with confidence that charging facilities would be available when needed.
MININFRA said Rwanda was expected to have about 218 electric vehicle charging stations by 2027.
Alfred Byiringiro, MININFRA’s Chief Technical Advisor for Transport, said the government had already developed a master plan showing where electric vehicle charging infrastructure was most needed.
He explained that the next step was to seek partnerships with private investors to build the stations, while the government would step in where the market was unable to attract private investment.
“There are places where electric vehicle charging infrastructure cannot generate enough returns for investors. That is where the government needs to come in and support the private sector, and it may also invest directly so that the necessary infrastructure can be built,” Byiringiro said.
Charging Infrastructure Is Essential
MININFRA said wider use of electric vehicles could not be achieved without sufficient charging infrastructure.
Byiringiro said building enough charging stations was one of the key steps that needed to be taken first to give people greater confidence in using electric vehicles.
“You cannot develop transport based on electric vehicles without charging infrastructure. It is very important that this infrastructure is put in place first,” he said.
The government had already been supporting investors interested in the sector, particularly by helping them access land for charging stations and easing the tax burden associated with such investments.
Since 2021, Rwanda has introduced a number of policies and measures aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles. These included reducing or removing some taxes imposed on electric vehicles and related equipment.
Standards to Be Introduced
MININFRA was also preparing regulations and standards that would govern electric vehicles and charging infrastructure.
The standards were intended to help ensure the quality of vehicles and equipment entering the Rwandan market and make sure they were durable and performed properly.
“We need to put appropriate standards in place, both for the vehicles and the charging infrastructure, so that when someone buys an electric vehicle, it does not last only one or two years,” Byiringiro said.
The measures were part of efforts to move Rwanda from the trial stage of electric vehicle adoption towards wider use of electric mobility across the country.
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