Antigua and Barbuda will replace its 180 vehicle fleet with Electric Vehicles

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Antigua and Barbuda Government Announces Ambitious Plan to Replace Fleet with Electric Vehicles

Antigua and Barbuda’s government has unveiled a comprehensive plan to transition its fleet of more than 180 government-owned internal-combustion-engine vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs).

This decision aligns with the administration’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.

In a bid to reduce the country’s carbon footprint, the government aims to replace traditional gasoline and diesel-powered cars, buses, vans, ambulances, and trucks with electric alternatives.

The transition will be implemented in phased periods, marking a significant step towards a greener and more environmentally friendly transportation system.

The move towards electric vehicles is part of a broader environmental strategy by the government.

Notable achievements in this regard include the ban on plastic shopping bags, which were replaced with reusable canvas bags in supermarkets and other retail outlets. Additionally, the ban on foam dishes and receptacles has seen a shift towards biodegradable paper items.

Plastic straws have also been phased out, making way for the use of paper straws, all of which contribute to a concerted effort to involve the entire population in reducing harmful waste and enhancing the overall living environment.

The electric vehicle initiative is positioned as a logical extension of these environmental efforts, emphasizing the government’s commitment to fostering a cleaner and more sustainable nation.

The EVs are expected to play a pivotal role in reducing air pollution and dependency on fossil fuels, as they will be powered by electricity, which is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

My Government intends to reduce the quantum which it expends on the purchase and use of fossil fuels by turning to electric vehicles, by installing solar plants in schools and other Government-owned buildings, by mounting wind-powered plants, and by encouraging conservation in the use of the precious commodity that pollutes.

Under the proposed plan, the internal-combustion-engine vehicles will be gradually replaced with electric alternatives that offer a range of benefits, including lower operational costs and reduced emissions.

The electric vehicles will utilize electricity for recharging, enabling a cleaner mode of transportation that aligns with global efforts to combat climate change.

Antigua and Barbuda’s government believes that this initiative represents a significant stride towards achieving a more eco-conscious society.

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19 COMMENTS

  2. This is so dumb. What we need is a reliable and affordable grid. Better yet, allow consumers to easily go solar.

  3. I’m also thinking about persons who will be able to service them. Then there’s the replacement of the batteries when they start being degraded over time

    I see the plan, but make sure that the horss goes before the cart

  4. Absolute dunceness! First of all, the electricity generated to power the vehicles use fossil fuels. Additionally, I want to see the government not purchase any of the Nissan Frontiers lined off at Hadeed right now. It’s like Antigua follows any trend that will generate publicity without any forethought.

  5. Let’s see. We move to electric vehicles. What will power their chargers. Fossil fuels burnt by apua or 110% renewable energy?

    Let’s see.

  6. Antigua doesn’t have the infrastructure for the implementation of electric vehicles; this government and the APUA cannot supply regular electricity into our homes and businesses.

    Let me tek one damn guess, who will be the beneficiaries to receive these electric vehicles?

    Yep (your way ahead of me my fellow educated Antiguans), that’s right, the members of goverment; their associates; cronies and their self-enriched elitist friends.

    REMEMBER WHERE YOU HEARD IT FIRST 😉

    • Bwoi, by the time these 180 electric vehicles have been distributed, we’ll wonder who get what from the general public like the ABLP water tank distributions.

      I COULD BE WRONG … 😁

  12. Dunce people are really in majority on this website. They here one line item and they do not stop to think as to when it will be done and what steps will the government take to implement this. But they run their un-intellectual mouth. Ambassador Black-Layne has no for years been running a test project. Providing several government agencies with electric vehicles. Even buses and taxis who wanted to be part of the project got electric vehicles. The other day she even gave gardeners electric lawnmowers to be part of the test. And furthermore the government is slowly moving to better and cleaner forms of energy production. The latest instalment of the LNG Plant is a major step in that direction. Barbuda is poised to be totally green in the not to distance future. We are actually in the forefront when it comes to meeting the target of reducing our carbon foot print. But the smart UPP cronies here know it all.

    • stop it… “in the forefront?” no water around here in two days, the electricity is still sporadic, infrastructure dilapidated, economy subjected to rising inflation and a proposed two percent tax on the population…
      focus my friend

    • “But the smart UPP cronies here know it all”.

      Thanks Sidey, much appreciated!👍🏾

      BTW, did you remember to pray 🙏🏽 TO GASSSSSTON?

      If I recall you put him on a par with Jesus, when he collected garbage on the 25th of November 2023 … correct me if I’m wrong (or I might have to remind ANR readers) 😁

      If “ignorance” had a name guess who it would be named after?

  13. This government has a near perfect history of managing to mess things up so the comments from all the critics are understandable.
    However, I want to be fair. The transition to electric vehicles is inevitable. The technology that is being used now is only a dozen years old so we are about at the stage of the Ford model T which appeared in the early 1900s. There is an avalanche of new and improved technology that most people are unaware of. The cost of solar power is plummeting as the efficiency of solar cells which once maxxed out at 7% is now at around 30% and still rising.. The currently used lithium batteries will soon be replaced with sodium and/or solid-state batteries which have much greater capacity, less weight, faster charging and last far longer. Electric vehicle manufacturing costs are also plummeting. It will soon make no sense to buy an ICE vehicle. If/when self driving EVs become a reality the whole world of driving will change virtually overnight. The taxi business will undergo a revolution that few have the capacity to imagine. Those who think they can stand in the way of this juggernaut will be run over in a heartbeat.
    I noticed that a school near St. Johns already has a vast array of solar panels on its roof and I am reliably informed that there are many more. I must heartily applaud whoever is responsible for getting these installed. These installations make a valuable contribution to the financial stability of everyone in Antigua each and every day and the GG has promised that there will be more. I say MAKE IT SO!

    • Thank you Ivor Biggun for that insightful unbios educational comment. I hope some of those political hacks, who make everything into a political issue have learned a little. My last trip in Europe I actually rented an electric vehicle. It was a wierd experience but a good one. I was like “how come I don’t hear the engine”. Especially when you stop at a stoplight and then have to drive up when it is green. And then you hear the noice of the combustable engines. And you think “Oh boy” what a noice pollution.

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