With rising fuel costs and shortages across Cuba, electric motorcycles are taking over the streets of the Caribbean island, thanks to government policies, which are resulting in the mass use of these vehicles.

The rise in usage is due to the regulated pricing of electric motorcycles while placing limits on imports of gasoline-powered motorcycles. Due to pricing policy, electric motorcycles were cheaper than gasoline-powered motorcycles for years.

Eventually, the government outlawed the import of gasoline-powered motorcycles altogether, leaving electric as the only option for new purchases. Pricing regulation has kept them affordable for citizens and has helped the electric two-wheelers become a dominant form of transportation in the country.

Electric motorcycles numbers growing

Locally, estimates put the total number of electric motorcycles, locally referred to as motorinas, at around 300,000. To put that in comparison, there are around 500,000 cars registered in Cuba, according to ABC News.

Electrek, which is a news and commentary site that tracks and analyses the transition from fossil-fuel transport to electric transport, reports that the most popular format for electric motorcycles in Cuba is an electric scooter. These types of motorcycles provide extra utility with step-through frames that are especially useful for carrying odd-shaped cargo.

Almost all of the electric two-wheelers come from China and are imported through Panama. However, a locally produced model known as the Minerva is said to be in the works at an old bicycle factory.

Electrek points out that, “while electric motorcycles were already gaining in popularity in Cuba, the local fuel shortages have continued to push more citizens toward electric motorcycles instead of gas-powered cars”. It is noteworthy that this isn’t the first time Cubans have turned to electric motorcycles during fuel shortages. 

Back in 2019 ,a similar scenario existed where fuel shortages and spiking gas prices sent riders onto the backs of electric motorcycles. The Cuban government has called on private electric motorcycle owners to help and the riders answered the call, volunteering to ferry people around cities in an unofficial electric motorcycle taxi service.