How to import a Chinese electric car into Ivory Coast (2026)

CRAVEUO EV Export · Sources last checked 2026-10-30 · General information, not legal advice. We do not clear customs in Côte d'Ivoire. Nothing here is a promise or a quote.

Quick answer

Côte d'Ivoire gives electric cars no duty relief today. The customs tariff, updated to 27 March 2026, shows 20% duty and 18% VAT for new pure-electric cars and new plug-in hybrids. The 5% duty lines are for assembly plants, not for buyers of finished cars. Used passenger cars must be within 5 years of first entering service abroad. We found no rule that limits imports to dealers, and we did not find a homologation system.

Key facts

All figures come from the official tariff, pages 496 to 498. The PDF's text lost its empty columns when we extracted it. We matched each number to its column by order and against PwC's rates, so the column labels are our reading. We did not work out a total, because we did not confirm how these charges stack.

The 5% duty is not for you

The tariff has 5% duty lines such as 8703801100 and 8703601100, marked for the assembly industry. They do not apply to a finished car imported by a buyer. Your car falls under the 20% lines above.

No electric-car relief yet

On 30 July 2026 a Transport Ministry workshop recommended removing duty, VAT and registration fees on electric cars. That is a recommendation, not a rule. A blog says the 2023 to 2026 tax annexes do not contain the words "électrique" or "hybride". We did not open those annexes, but the claim matches the tariff.

Used cars

The limit is 5 years from first entry into service abroad. The rule took effect on 1 July 2018, set as the end date for shipment, under Decree 2017-792. A search excerpt of the decree gives a registration ban and a fine of 2 million CFA francs for breaking the rule. We could not open that text.

Who can import

A search excerpt of Decree 2017-792 says import is free, subject to the rules in force. We found no rule that only dealers may import. We also found nothing that sets out how a private buyer registers a new car.

Dealers must register new cars for their customers under Order 0022/MT/CAB of 18 August 2025, with full roll-out on 1 March 2026. That report does not mention private imports of new cars. A dedicated new-car centre in Treichville opened on 5 October 2026 (search excerpt only).

Clearance and registration

We found no homologation system, and no inspection checklist for imported cars. Ask the transport authorities before you buy.

An article from 2011 describes the Abidjan process for used cars: papers from CI Logistique, photos at SICTA, tax assessed by customs, the transport desk, then technical inspection and plates. It is old, so confirm each step.

The technical inspection specification of 2018 has no EV section. Our search for "électriq" found only electric starters.

Steering, charging and ports

We found no current rule on right-hand drive. A 2009 report says a Transport Ministry notice took right-hand-drive cars off the road on visibility grounds, with 3 months to convert. An official admitted the port had no document banning them. China-market cars are left-hand drive.

CCS2 and Type 2 appear only on a country reference site. We found no official standard. A blog says the implementing orders for Decree 2024-326 have not been issued. China-market cars charge on GB/T, so ask which plug your car has before you order.

Abidjan hosts the one-stop desk in the 2011 article. We did not verify San-Pédro.

Models to ask about

China guide prices, not delivered prices. All are pure electric.

Send your city, model and version through the inquiry form. We tell you whether we can supply that car before any contract.

How an order works

1. Ask a customs broker in Abidjan for every charge on your tariff line, and how they stack.
2. Ask the transport authorities what they need to register your exact car.
3. Get a written quote from the licensed Chinese export company named in the contract.
4. Sign the contract. Nothing is paid before it is signed, and payment goes only to the company account on the invoice.
5. Your broker clears the car. Then complete inspection and registration.