The owners of electric vehicles (EVs) operating with Chinese chargers in Egypt were alarmed recently by the announcement by an Egyptian company specialising in EV chargers that it was adopting the European charging protocol and halting the use of the Chinese standard across its network of stations.
Ahmed Nawar, senior operations manager at the company, likened the distinction between the two systems to the contrast between USB Type-C chargers for Android devices and Lightning connectors for iPhones.
He said that the protocols differ not only in the physical design of the charger plug, but also in the communication mechanisms between the charging station and the vehicle.
“The protocol serves a dual purpose,” Nawwar explained. “It transfers electrical current from the station to the car while facilitating the exchange of data, such as the station’s output capacity, the vehicle’s battery temperature, and real-time battery metrics measured in amperes and voltage.”
The charging station conducts a comprehensive diagnostic scan of the vehicle before charging the battery to ensure safety and mitigate charging hazards, he added.
However, Khaled Saad, secretary-general of the Automobile Manufacturers Association and chairman of the Industry and Trade Committee of the Homat Watan Party, said there had been a misunderstanding of the company’s announcement.
It did not mean an end to importing Chinese-protocol EVs or that Chinese vehicles could not be charged in Egypt, he said.
“The problem will only be in fast-charging, and this can be solved with a simple modification to install an adapter that converts the Chinese protocol to the European standard. However, this adaptation could affect the longevity of the car’s battery,” he explained.
Saad does not believe the announcement will affect imports of Chinese cars, whether by companies, traders, or individuals. China, producing 30 million vehicles annually, has increasingly focused its manufacturing on EVs, 60 per cent of which are cheaper than Chinese vehicles imported from factories in the US or Europe.
However, the decision is likely to affect companies importing Chinese chargers.
The government supports the wider adoption of EVs and cars converted to run on natural gas, especially in the light of rising fuel prices. “Egypt will start manufacturing EVs in the near future, and this will help change people’s perceptions of them,” Saad noted.
Alaa Al-Fanagili, head of the Egyptian-Arab Association for Smart Transportation and Electric Vehicles, said that the state had already allowed the import of EVs using the Chinese protocol, which make up around 80 per cent of the EV market in Egypt.
The government had also approved the specifications of these vehicles prior to their entering the market and had collected taxes on them. It was for this reason that it had to ensure the availability of charging stations for these cars to safeguard the interests of the EV owners, he added.
Using an adapter to convert from the Chinese to the European protocol during fast-charging could damage the vehicle. In some cases, the vehicle may automatically shut down when using such an adapter, Al-Fanagili explained.
The association will work on addressing the challenges facing Egypt’s EV sector, including issues related to the Chinese charging protocol and the lack of real guarantees for cars imported under it, Al-Fanagili stated.
Nawar said the average cost of an adapter in Egypt is $1,500, yet no reliable or officially approved adapters from major manufacturers are available. This may risk the safety of the car during the use of fast-chargers that are commonly used on highways or during emergencies.
Slow-chargers used in homes or garages do not require an adapter.
Charging companies in Egypt have set up their stations in accordance with European specifications, following the directives of the Egyptian Electricity Utility Authority, Nawar said, noting that the government needs to establish a unified protocol to avoid complications.
Adopting multiple protocols would require larger investments from these companies, as they would be forced to double the number of stations and charging outlets in the same areas to accommodate vehicles using both systems.
This would place a financial burden on both the companies and the state, particularly with the added pressure on the electricity grid and the increased costs associated with infrastructure development.
EVs entering Egypt through authorised dealers are charged according to the European protocol, whereas those using the Chinese protocol are imported by merchants or through personal imports directly from Chinese citizens, rather than from Chinese manufacturers, he added.
This is because cars designed to operate with the Chinese protocol are not intended for export. Instead, they are made for the domestic Chinese market, where they receive price reductions for Chinese citizens, making their prices lower than EVs imported through authorised dealers.
Nawar believes that suspending the Chinese protocol will not lead to an increase in EV prices in Egypt. With an annual sales volume of 11,000 vehicles, fluctuations in price are more likely to be driven by supply and demand, foreign-exchange rates, and shipping costs.
Authorised car dealers will benefit from increased sales, particularly if there is a shortfall in the supply of cars using the Chinese protocol, he noted.
Until 2024, buyers considering purchasing cars using the Chinese protocol were aware that fast-charging stations compatible with it were unavailable, and they accepted this risk.
Decision-makers in Egypt must take a long-term perspective and implement decisions that will lead to greater investments in EVs to accelerate their adoption in the country, Nawar said.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 8 May, 2025 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
Short link: