Solar-powered electric tricycles are becoming an important transportation solution in Cuba as the country faces ongoing fuel shortages and frequent power outages.

These mostly Chinese-made three-wheelers are increasingly being equipped with rooftop solar panels, allowing owners to charge their vehicles without depending entirely on Cuba’s stressed electricity grid. This makes them especially useful in a country where blackouts and fuel scarcity have disrupted daily transportation and commercial activity.

Priced between $2,000 and $4,000, the tricycles are being used for a wide range of purposes, including passenger transport, goods delivery and garbage collection. Their versatility and lower running costs have made them an attractive alternative to conventional gasoline-powered vehicles.

Many Cubans have reportedly sold their fuel-based cars or received financial assistance from relatives living abroad in order to purchase these electric tricycles. Engineers and small business owners say the added investment in rooftop solar panels pays back quickly by reducing dependence on both fuel and unreliable grid electricity.

The shift towards solar-powered tricycles comes amid worsening economic conditions, declining oil imports and widespread blackouts across the country. As demand continues to rise, these vehicles are emerging as a practical, affordable and sustainable mobility option for communities across Cuba.