Havana’s traffic might be best known for its brightly coloured classic cars – stately Chevrolets imported from the US before Cuba’s socialist revolution in 1959, boxy Soviet-made vehicles that followed during the Cold War and an array of antique Fiats, Minis and others. 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 accelerating the shift from the classic to the contemporary when it comes to getting around.

“It is only very recently that people realised that it’s much better to have some kind of electric vehicle in Cuba,” says Mark Manger, a professor of political economy (with a speciality in contemporary Cuban history) at the University of Toronto. “Because you don’t have to rely on the infrequent deliveries of fuel or contend with volatile gas prices.”

Demand has also been fuelled by these vehicles’ relatively low price tags. “Another big selling point is that these EVs require such little maintenance,” said Manger. “Importing parts to repair a classic car in Cuba is extremely difficult; people often have to improvise and make replacement parts themselves. So it’s much better to have a relatively new electric vehicle.”

Their diminutive size means that they can be plugged into a domestic socket and charged with ease. The distance that they can cover is a draw too. “You can drive 100km on one charge, which is sufficient for wherever you need to go in Cuba,” says Manger. A recent change in import laws means that private individuals can now import electric cars. China’s canopied three-wheelers by Onebot and Lesheng’s four-wheeled, two-seater models are particularly popular, while similar four-wheelers are produced by Japan’s Kimura.

Domestic production is ramping up too. Some 23,000 EVs were manufactured between 2020 and 2022, according to government figures. At Vedca, a miniature-vehicle maker based in Havana, the growth in demand has accelerated the development of new lines. These include miniature tractors and industrial vehicles designed for heavy lifting, which are currently in their testing phases.