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[–] 8 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Cuba is still using cars from the 1950s because of the American trade embargo. Under ideal conditions a transition to pure electric / solar energy would take a decade. With an American embargo in place it would take decades and probably never finish.

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  • [–] 5 points 7 months ago (1 child)

    Isn't Cuba walkable for the most part? I've heard the whole 50's car factoid as a kid, but this really kind of feels like big oil/general motors propaganda. "Look at Cuba they are forced to use cars from our golden years"

    I don't think there's anything stopping them from importing electric vehicles from China. Buy if you're walking most places why bother? The main concern would be freight. I am not well versed on Cuba's freight capabilities.

    But if you're already cut off from oil, then there isn't really a reason to cry over something you can't have. The Cubans know this. So I wouldn't really say they're decades away from electrification. It'll happen however fast Chinese investors or even the CCP themselves want it to happen.

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  • [–] 3 points 7 months ago

    Isn't Cuba walkable for the most part?

    I haven't been there, but the videos I've seen show that they have a very car-centric culture.

    The relatives I've had visit have confirmed the classic cars. It isn't propaganda. It's that they have a lot of cars from the time just before the US sanctions went into effect. A lot of those cars now have weird engines out of trucks, but because they can't get new car frames in easily, they're keeping them for as long as they can.

    I don't think there's anything stopping them from importing electric vehicles from China

    Nothing, except for the money to pay for them.

    It seems like you're living in a dream world where Cuba has a strong economy and great relations with China.

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