HAVANA — Electric tricycles, primarily manufactured in China, have become a main mode of transportation for hundreds of thousands of Cubans, who use them for commuting, transporting goods, and providing public services. This development has occurred during chronic fuel shortages and a five-year economic crisis in the country.

Many Cubans have equipped their electric tricycles with solar panels, allowing the vehicles to recharge independently of the power grid. Liecer de la Cruz, a tricycle owner, said, "This is how people get around now." Electric tricycles are used on fixed routes that were previously served by buses, and they also collect garbage in some neighborhoods of Havana.

Electric tricycles typically cost between $2,000 and $4,000. Some Cubans acquired their tricycles from relatives living abroad or through profits from small businesses. Others have sold older gasoline-powered cars to finance the purchase of electric tricycles. Carlos Álvarez, an engineer, stated, "There are so many tricycles in Havana that you can't spend 10 minutes on a street without seeing countless numbers of them pass by."

Cubans produce approximately 40% of the fuel they consume. Prior to late March 2026, about eight oil tankers arrived in Cuba monthly. The tricycles run on either gel or lithium batteries. Chinese brands like Zonsen and Jinpeng are common in Cuba, and many are purchased in countries such as Panama before being shipped to Cuba by relatives or importers for resale. The Vedca brand of electric tricycle is assembled in Cuba through an agreement with China. Installing a mounting bracket for a solar panel on a tricycle costs approximately $500. Ricardo Quintero, an engineer, uses his electric tricycle to transport produce for his family's vegetable stand. He stated, "I think this is here to stay."