The Cuban SME Talleres Albe, based in Santa Clara, announced a joint project with the Villa Clara government to sell electric and hybrid vehicles fully paid for in Cuban pesos, amid one of the worst transportation crises the island has faced in decades.
The idea, shared by Canal Caribe last Friday, aims to provide an alternative for businesses, producers, and workers in the region who currently do not have access to vehicles due to the shortage of foreign currency and the economic collapse that the country is experiencing.
The company's representative, Alberto Yera Lugo, openly acknowledged the magnitude of the problem. "Today, companies do not have the capacity or liquidity to make payments abroad," he stated, explaining the difficulties of importing vehicles under the current scheme, which requires payments in foreign currency even through state entities.
According to the explanation, the plan involves importing parts and components to assemble them in Cuba through a cooperative production with the state industry. To achieve this, they are working on the creation of a joint venture that will allow the vehicles to be marketed through electronic channels and in national currency.
"We are working together with the government on how to create a joint venture with the industry where we are going to sell to all the companies," he stated.
The announcement comes at a particularly critical time for Cubans. Since February of this year, the regime suspended the import of internal combustion vehicles and prioritized electric and hybrid ones, although in practice these remain inaccessible for the majority due to their high prices in foreign currency.
Meanwhile, public transportation is experiencing a historic collapse. In January 2026, only 42% of the planned goals for passenger transport were met, and domestic bus production has dropped from 473 units in 2019 to just 12 projected for this year.
The lack of transportation is compounded by power outages of up to 20 hours a day and a shortage of fuel, a reality that has forced many Cubans to rely on electric tricycles or private transport for mobility or even to seek medical treatments.
In the informal market, one of these tricycles can exceed 3,800 dollars, an amount that is impossible for most Cuban families.
Talleres Albe also assured that part of its profits is allocated to social projects. The company representative stated that they recently repaired an orthopedics room in a hospital and delivered 10 electric tricycles to the healthcare system to assist with the transportation of dialysis patients.
Aid takes on special significance after the Ministry of Transportation acknowledged in March that many renal patients must pay out of pocket for taxis or tricycles to receive treatment, due to the collapse of state healthcare transportation.
Although Canal Caribe attributed part of the economic difficulties to the tightening of sanctions by the Trump administration, the energy and transportation crisis in Cuba is rooted in long-standing structural issues, characterized by a lack of investment, declining oil production, and decades of centralized economic control.
The Albe Workshops project also aligns with the new vehicle legislation approved in December 2024, which supports the import of electric vehicles with reduced tariffs while imposing taxes of up to 200% on luxury cars.
For now, the proposal is still in the design phase and there is no official date for its implementation. Its viability will depend on the government authorizing the creation of the joint venture and allowing real payment mechanisms in Cuban pesos for these types of operations.
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