Until recently, Cuba's roads had changed little in the six decades since former leader Fidel Castro's 1959 revolution: the old cars puffing sooty exhaust, rutted pavement, light traffic. Now, electric vehicles are proving a godsend for many in the communist-run nation.
Public transportation is hardly more palatable. Buses in the Havana area are far fewer - and more crowded and uncomfortable - than in previous years. And half the routes to points outside the capital have been eliminated this year, according to state-run media, as fuel and spare parts dwindle.
"Electric motorcycles are solving a lot of problems in Cuba, they are already used for almost everything," explains Omar Cortina, a Cuban hotel worker who recently purchased his first electric vehicle - a lime-green scooter powered by a lithium battery.
On a recent weekday visit to the company's plant outside Havana, some of Vedca's 64 employees assembled plastic parts, soldered wires, and tightened bolts in an orderly assembly line, while others greeted customers arriving for pick-up.
Explore Havana''s electric makeover and the role of e-bikes and EVs in transforming the city''s transportation system. Learn about the economic challenges and benefits of this transition.
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Between 2020 and 2022, the last year for which figures are available, Cuba-based companies produced more than 23,000 electric vehicles, according to official data. Since then, demand has grown,
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But increasingly, commuters are opting to use a new crop of small electric vehicles (EVS). These include dinky electric cars, tricycles and cargo trucks, as well as electric bikes and scooters, which are all
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There is a growing number of Cubans who want more luxurious electric and hybrid automobiles, including Teslas. But the number of Cubans who can pay for such vehicles is still small.
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Electric vehicles produce no tailpipe emissions, significantly lowering air pollution in Havana—a city known for its vibrant atmosphere. Transitioning to EVs also lessens dependence on fossil fuels,
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Between 2020 and 2022, the last year for which figures are available, Cuba-based companies produced more than 23,000 EVs, according to official data. Since then, demand has
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In a country where vintage cars once symbolized a bygone era, electric vehicles now represent a new chapter of innovation and sustainability. The roads of Havana, once dominated by
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SANTA CLARA, Cuba — There is a new sight on the streets of Havana: increasing numbers of electric vehicles whizzing among the old American cars so emblematic of the Cuban capital.
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As sustainability becomes a global priority, Cuba is gradually embracing electric vehicles. While the transition is still in its early stages due to infrastructural and financial constraints, several initiatives
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