Rolling Into Addis: A Convoy of Hope and Electric Momentum – Adama to Addis Ababa
Marsabit to Moyale (Ethiopian border)
Day four of the Road to Addis began in Marsabit, a town defined by its biting winds and rugged beauty. The team woke to chilly gusts at the Big Tusk Hotel, where the fully charged electric vehicles had been readied for the longest driving day of the journey yet.
Before leaving, the group stopped in Marsabit town to collect a package. As always, the convoy’s electric cars and bikes drew a crowd. Curious residents gathered to ask questions, many surprised to learn that under the hood was not an engine, but storage space, and the battery hidden in the floor.
The buzz in town reinforced the same message witnessed throughout the route: people are interested in e-mobility, but doubt the readiness of infrastructure. The team encouraged them, stressing that this first road trip is itself part of showing what is possible, a spark for policymakers to expand charging along the corridor .
Leaving Marsabit hours later than planned, the group hit the open highway only to encounter powerful crosswinds across the flat plains. The Kabisa EV truck and Kenya Power pickup had to shield the motorbikes from being blown off the road. While the Kabisa Pickup lead the convoy as a sweeper. Despite the challenge, the scenery and photo stops offered stunning moments for drone and camera captures. Along the way, they even helped a stranded motorist with loose wheels, a reminder of the shared road experience that bound strangers together.
By late afternoon, the convoy reached Moyale, the border town into Ethiopia. Unfortunately, customs had already closed, and despite repeated calls to facilitators in Addis Ababa, the vehicles could not be cleared to charge on the Ethiopian side. Language barriers compounded the delays, leaving low-battery EVs stuck at the border overnight.
The Ministry of Transport’s liaison, Moaz, arranged accommodation in Moyale, albeit squeezed, with ten people sharing five rooms. Dinner was communal, featuring injera, shiro, and vegetable dishes, a first taste of Ethiopian culture and hospitality. But the evening closed with a sobering reality: without charging the vehicles, day five would be delayed, cutting into the timeline to reach Addis on the 11th.
Still, spirits remained high. The team knew this was part of the challenge and story, demonstrating the promise of e-mobility, and the practical hurdles of infrastructure, coordination, and cross-border logistics. Day four captured both the excitement of pioneering a new path and the resilience needed to carry it forward .
