Chinese-standard EV fast chargers are being shut down across Egypt, following the Egyptian Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency’s (Egyptera) decision to order all public EV fast-charging stations to adopt the European CCS2 protocol — a unified plug and communication standard widely used across Europe and parts of our region. The move, issued late last month, sidelines the bulk of existing fast-charging units that run on China’s GB/T standard — prompting pushback from industry players.

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The move will leave around 80% of Egyptian EV users in search of alternative ways to charge, with four fifths of all EVs on Egyptian streets having come from China and much of the EV infrastructure built to cater to these drivers, Federation of Chambers of Commerce’s auto division member Montasser Zaytoon, told EnterpriseAM. The decision to shut them down effectively wipes out most of the country’s already limited charging infrastructure and will hit EV sales as a share of total vehicle sales, he added.

Electricity connections to Chinese fast chargers have already been suspended, a government source told EnterpriseAM, with the issue now under review by a specialized committee in the House.

SOUND SMART- The now-banned GB/T protocol is the fast-charging system used in most Chinese-made EVs, while CCS2 (Combined Charging System Type 2) is the standard used in Europe and much of the Middle East. Both systems are designed for rapid charging, allowing vehicles to power up much faster than regular home chargers — but they are not compatible with each other. A car built for GB/T can’t use a CCS2 charger without an adapter, and vice versa.

The move not only affects Chinese EV owners — but some European EV owners too. Several vehicles on the local market rely on Chinese-standard charging units, market experts told EnterpriseAM, even including certain Mercedes and BMW models manufactured in China and brought in via distributors or personal imports and Volkswagen’s ID4 and ID6.

EV infrastructure investments may also be delayed on the back of the uncertainty, as the sudden policy shift puts significant infrastructure investments at risk, according to head of the Clean Energy Committee at the Cairo Chambers of Commerce’s auto division Ahmed Zein.

Driving Egyptera’s decision to standardize charging protocols is an effort to streamline infrastructure and boost public safety, according to the regulator. Egyptera cited technical complications and potential risks stemming from the coexistence of incompatible Chinese and European systems.

But the Federation of Chambers of Commerce’s auto division is not happy with the move and has already lobbied to maintain the status quo, citing high vehicle prices and the growing popularity of Chinese EVs — now a key alternative for price-sensitive Egyptian consumers amid surging European car prices.

The auto division also submitted an urgent memo to the Electricity Ministry urging a transitional period and protections for existing investments, Zaytoun told us. “We met with the deputy minister to outline how the decision could derail Egypt’s EV market, limit consumer choice, and clash with the state’s clean transport goals. We’re asking that currently operating stations remain in service,” he said.

Alternative approaches are also being put forward by industry players, like auto division member Khaled Saad, who told us that a grace period would also allow Chinese EV agents to work with their parent firms to import dual-standard chargers — compatible with both European fast charging and Chinese home/slow charging. Zein also told EnterpriseAM that current infrastructure should be kept in place while new installations using the Chinese protocol should be blocked to reduce disruptions.

Lawmakers held a hearing last week with industry stakeholders to chart a path forward, with a follow-up session expected this week to review formal requests from auto sector players, our source added.

For now, home charging will have to fill the gap, Zein told EnterpriseAM. The real challenge, he said, emerges during travel and the need for frequent and fast charging.

DATA POINT- The state has been doubling down on EV adoption, with licensed electric vehicles rising to 6.1k in 2024 — nearly double the 3.2k recorded a year earlier — as it works towards localizing EV assembly and curb emissions since 2024.

Your top green economy stories for the week:

  • Ride hailing app JTNY has become the country’s first registered smart EV transport company after parent company Green Valley inked with the Land Transport Regulatory Authority. The luxury and sustainability-minded transport provider will begin with 100 company-owned EVs operating in Cairo and Giza, before expanding to other governorates. (Statement)
  • Egypt will reportedly ink contracts for a USD 50 mn, 20 MW Hurgahada solar plant by mid-2025 with a Japanese consortium that includes Mitsubishi.. The plant will be fully funded through a soft loan from Japan International Cooperation Agency.
  • The International Finance Corporation is looking into providing AMEA Power with USD 600 mn to finance its Abydos 2 solar power project. The package includes USD 120 mn in direct financing from the IFC and USD 480 mn through syndicated loans — the IFC put the project’s total cost at USD 750 mn. (Disclosure)
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