The Government of Anguilla has added electric vehicles to its fleet for the first time in an effort to promote sustainability and reduce emissions.
The two cars were handed over by Electric Dream Cars during a ceremony on 5 February as part of the Anguilla Renewable Energy Programme (AREP).
AREP project coordinator Dallen Connor called the day an “important milestone” towards a more sustainable Anguilla, and emphasised three key objectives of the initiative.
“First and foremost, we aim to lead by example by integrating electric vehicles into our government fleet,” he said, adding it paves the way for private sector adoption.
“Secondly, we will be monitoring the performance of the electric vehicles in comparison to traditional internal combustion engine vehicles,” Connor told attendees.
He explained that this data will inform future government vehicle policies and fleet expansion strategies.
“Finally, this initiative will serve to raise public awareness about the benefits of electrical vehicles,” he said.
‘A cornerstone’
The Anguilla Renewable Energy Programme is part of the EU-funded RESEMBID project, ‘Streamlining Anguilla’s energy sector towards a more sustainable future’ launched in February 2023.
Quincia Gumbs-Marie, Minister of Sustainability, Innovation and the Environment, thanked RESEMBID and the EU for supporting Anguilla’s renewable energy transition.
“Through the Anguilla Renewable Energy Programme, the deliverables and technical analysis provided will serve as a cornerstone for our nation’s journey towards sustainability,” she said.
She explained that the transition is not merely an environmental shift, but a profound social and economic transformation.
The government has taken decisive steps towards this change, Gumbs-Marie said, from removing duties on all electric and hybrid vehicles until 2030 to providing duty free concessions on solar panel packages.
Holy Grail
Haydn Hughes, Minister of Infrastructure, Communications, Utilities, Housing and Tourism, called the Anguilla Renewable Energy Programme the “Holy Grail of energy transformation in Anguilla”.
He explained that as well as the new vehicles, the government has invested in charging stations, training, an updated National Energy Policy, and energy efficient lighting and air conditioning.
“Let us embrace this work and the progress that we are making towards this lofty goal, let us continue to forge ahead,” he said.
AREP project coordinator Travis Carty, who chaired the event, said that to ensure seamless integration of electric vehicles, the government has prioritised training and capacity-building.
Meanwhile, a National Electric Vehicles Transition Plan, which outlines objectives and a roadmap for adopting electric vehicles, has been drafted which will be delivered to ministers in short order.
Following the speeches, the ministers cut the ribbon in front of the charging station and were given a tour of the vehicles.
Watch the handover and ribbon cutting in full below:
