“Electric vehicles
have a positive contribution to make to our economy. Not only do they have zero
emissions, and are therefore good for the environment, but they can also
potentially lead to the significant reduction of the fuel import bill which the
country now bears”
JPS
Senior Vice President of Energy Delivery, Sheree Martin, commenting on the
importation of electric vehicles at the Electric Vehicle Seminar
Jamaicans are
interested in Electric vehicles. So why are they not more widespread in
Jamaica?
Maybe because the
import duty of 60% is too high as noted in the article “Stakeholders
want Gov't to reduce import duty on electric vehicles”, published Monday,
October 02, 2017, The Jamaica
Observer.
This was the obvious stumbling block pointed out by those attending the Electric Vehicle Seminar hosted by JPS and the USAID Caribbean Clean Energy Programme held on Wednesday September 27th 2017 at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston. The event facilitated discussions about issues that need to be tackled before electric vehicles can go mainstream:
1.
Type
of infrastructure required
2.
Regulatory
frameworks
3.
Types
of Electric Vehicles
Jamaican is clearly
behind, as Barbados has 200 electric cars and 20 electric panel vans on their
roads. This was pointed out by Joanna Edghill, whose company MegaPower, uses
these vehicles.
Jamaican
and Electric Vehicles - Reduce Import Duties needed followed by First World
Subsidies
Yes, this article may
be a bit late, but the interest in Electric vehicles is just revving up
globally, as the world is going Renewables according to the IAE (International
Energy Agency) as pointed out in my blog article
entitled “IEA
says Solar PV is fastest growing Energy source while Jamaica is adopting LNG”.
In addition, most of the early adopters are the First World countries, with the Developing world countries still punch-drunk on cheaper Fossil fuels based internal combustion engine as noted in my blog article entitled “Why IAE goal of 600 million electric vehicles in 2040 needs Developed World Subsidies”.
Clearly subsidies are
needed from the First World Countries for us to buy their electric vehicles and
electric charging infrastructure programs. This along with help to go
Renewables in order to reduce the dependence on Fossil fuel based Power Plants.
A lot of that love
need to start right here in Jamaica with our Government supporting Electric
Vehicles with legislative and personal action. But what are the benefits of
Electric Vehicles to Jamaica?
Benefits
of Electric Vehicles to Jamaica – JPS Co’s SmartGrid and Tesla Charging Station
coming
According to Dr. Gary
Jackson, Managing Director of Electric Vehicles Ltd. and owner of an electric
vehicle, the benefits are as follows:
1.
A
33% reduction in the cost of running his vehicle, compared to a gasoline run
car
2.
Reduced
maintenance compared to a gasoline fuelled car as the electric vehicle has no
internal combustion engine
This sounds a lot
like the benefits that former CEO of JPS Co Kelly Tomblin gets from her
electric/hybrid Mitsubishi Outlander as noted in my blog article
entitled “How
JPS Co CEO Kelly Tomblin Mitsubishi Outlander means importation of Range
Extender Electric Vehicles Needed”.
JPS Co can get the ball ruling by installing Tesla Motors Charging Stations across the island as a part of their US$5 million Smart Grid initiative as noted in my blog article entitled “JPSCo US$5 million Smart Grid and Tesla Motors Battery Storage Tech Fixes Low Power Periods”.
Conclusion
– GOJ Ministers need to walk the Walk and Talk the Talk
So overall, not only
would Jamaican motorists benefit, but so would our country, as electric vehicle
would significantly reduce our fuel bill; a reduction in the import duty of 60%
is needed.
The Government of Jamaica need to show support, not only by reducing the duty but also ditching their old gas guzzling SUV and modernizing themselves by driving electric vehicles as argue in my blog article entitled “Why the GOJ needs to support All-Electric Vehicle Importation and ditch their Toyota Jamaica SUV's”.
Whether they can
handle the roads is another matter, albeit by the time they get here, toll
highways may be the only roads in Jamaica.
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