Cuban electromobility: structural challenges and proposals for a sustainable transition

Abstract

The study aimed to diagnose the state of charging infrastructure for electric vehicles in Cuba and to propose solutions adapted to the national context to enable the energy transition in transportation. The methodology employed consisted of a technical and field analysis that evaluated the composition of the electric vehicle fleet, the distribution and capacity of existing charging points, the state of the national electrical grid, and user behavior patterns. The most notable results revealed a marked technological duality between a minority of imported lithium-ion vehicles and a predominant majority of national micromobility that relies exclusively on slow charging. An extremely limited and geographically concentrated public charging infrastructure was observed, with a ratio of chargers per vehicle well below international standards and an electrical grid characterized by restricted capacity and critical aging. Likewise, a high range anxiety among users was identified, exacerbated by the scarcity and uncertainty in energy access, along with a timing coincidence of charging demand with the national consumption peak. The main conclusions of the work emphasize the existence of interconnected structural barriers that include grid insufficiency, the absence of a robust regulatory framework, institutional fragmentation, and a fundamental misalignment between the available infrastructure supply and the real needs of the vehicle fleet.