Electric cars stalled again
(CNS): The government’s commitment to changing the traffic law before the end of 2010 to allow electric cars to finally take to Cayman roads seems to have been abandoned. CNS understands that the ministry responsible will not be bringing the necessary legislative amendments to enable the environmentally friendly cars to drive on local roads until sometime in 2011. For some seven years a number of people in the Cayman Islands have been lobbying government to amend the laws to allow electrically powered vehicles to drive on the actual highways and to offer people a green option when it comes to transport.
John Felder, one of many local people campaigning to make green vehicles a reality in Cayman and who has been importing the cars, was poised to establish the first charging stations for the vehicles. However, he told CNS this week he was disappointed that the political will to start the green revolution on Cayman’s roads was still missing. Felder said he would now be turning his attention to marketing and selling electric vehicles in Bermuda and Jamaica. Both of those countries approved legislation last year to allow the use of electric cars on their roads.
“Bermuda has agreed to waive all duty on electric vehicles and Jamaica has reduced the duty in that country. A network of charge stations is now in the works in Bermuda, and Jamaica will follow,” Felder said. Although he was not giving up on Cayman’s law makers eventually doing the right thing, he said Bermuda was poised to become the model for the Caribbean when it comes to electric vehicles.
Felder told CNS recently that he had a long waiting list of potential customers for his vehicles that want to buy and drive these eco-friendly, no-carbon, cost saving vehicles but until the laws were passed few people would be buying the cars. A small number of people have, however, bought Neighbourhood Electric Vehicles (NEV), some of which are being used on private sites such as Camana Bay.
Despite the fact that the modern versions of these cars can exceed 35mph, they are still not allowed on the country’s roads. Government officials said that amendments to the traffic law, which include the necessary changes to permit the use of electric cars on the roads in and around George Town, had been set to come before the country’s legislators in September.
Back in July Kearney Gomez, chief officer of the Ministry of District Administration, Communications and Public Works, told CNS that government was committed to the legislation and the necessary changes should form part of a comprehensive amendment of the traffic laws which would allow the cars on the road.
Category: Headline News
Just wanted to express how pleased I am to see that I am in strong company in regards to my perspective on the "global warming / climate change / going green / environmental friendliness" scam of a sham.
I trust that we see the true objective behind this issue and do not get caught up in the global hooplah.
Like someone else mentioned – we have FAR MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES to sort out in this country.
Good Monday morning all.
I think we have more urgent matters to deal with at this time.eg How to get these people out of office,and some good educated-new-no party people to run our country-urgenty ! ?.
shows u how stupid the government has become, cayman please go green get rid of gas powered cars and go electric it wont be hard to setup solar power recharge stations around the island. yes it might cost a few dollars but look how much you will save in the long run
Should the headline be "glorified golf carts stalled again"? They are as ugly as they are inappropriate for road use in the Cayman Islands.
Google Zap Electric vehicles. These are 100% electric, 100% legal in the Cayman Islands and 100% available in the Cayman Islands since 2009.
Ever wondered why the Zap electric vehicles never sold in the U.S. market? Maybe 4 wheels is better than three and safer.
1) Many people seem to have overlooked the fact that most of the ‘hybrid’ or electric cars for sale today utilise ‘energy reclamation’ technology whereby they produce electricity from things like the brakes. I.e., you buy less electricity from CUC than you use in your car. Making them ‘green’.
2) Greening the electric production is a different argument. But any way you spin it it is (1) more expensive to produce your own energy with a small generator, or car engine, than with a big turbine; and (2) you can always hook your car up to a solar charger yourself if you feel its so important.
3) forget NEVs. Arguing that they’re unsafe is a spurious argument against electric cars. The ‘future’ are things like the Jaguar C-X75 or Tesla Roadster (available now in select markets, google its appearance on Top Gear). Similarly, while licencing NEVs is a separate safety issue, like licencing Mini Mokes was, licencing electric cars in general shouldn’t be.
4) No one is forcing anyone to buy these cars. but just because you think they’re no ‘greener’ or ‘cheaper’ than anything else why would you want a law saying someone else can’t buy one? if anything this discussion has shown, no one has a good reason for electric cars not getting a licence.
Glacial page of Legislative Change
I wouldn’t go to these conspiracy theories about vested interests per many comments here. If experience of the last 10 or so years is anything to go by, the glacial pace of introducing legislative changes is what is to blame.
In years past, government worked closely with private sector (particularly in the development of our financial services industry) to introduce new legislation in a timely fashion, often allowing the private sector to assist in the drafting. For quite a number of years now, this has totally changed. The clear and often stated (in meetings of many kinds, if not publically) policy of the top lawyers in our government is that they will not allow anyone other than their legal department to do this work now.
So, some examples of what this has meant.
Tobacco legislation took over five years to draft and enact, even though templates were there from the WHO and Cayman was bound by UK commitments. Never in all that time did a government legal draftsperson ever attend a meeting or get our edits right first time. I know, I served on that committee throughout. The public servants and private sector representatives on this committee were amazingly aligned (considering it was everyone from tobacco distributors to the cancer society) on what had to be done. The roadblock was simply legal drafting. Not politics, not vested interests, simply drafting.
In the financial sector, ask ANYONE in that industry about the farcical length of time it took for the legal practitioners law to be brought in. Again, same issue.
As a last example, the Animals Law changes to remove protection of Green Iguanas was ludicrously simple, but the initial reaction from Legal department after the LA unanimously passed a motion to change this was to say "we’re very busy, we might get to it in 9-12 months". I got involved in this and credit to the Minister and his staff for getting it pushed through quickly.
As a country we have lost our way in terms of focussing on our "why", on how we can be globally competitive, and what this means in terms of efficient and effective government processes.
This week I wrote on this in the Journal.
In my Viewpoint yesterday, I noted that I received threats to my business and personal safety by trying to open discussions on making Cayman competitive in terms of how we raise government revenues.
I hope this doesn’t result in the same, but in any event I will not be silent. All I am looking to do is to help Cayman maximise our potential as a country, I hope our people join me and the increasing number of others who are focussed on intelligent and open dialogue.
Hmmm… looking at the picture…
I can see it now… man drives under a pick-up truck, falls out of the window and almost gets himself kill. Two months later, he’s in cass, suing the company for collateral damages.
Oh…and the wheels are so small… would I be safe if lightning struck me on the golf field???
Just a thought
The number of ‘nay sayers’ is amazing. A NEV used four standard car batteries (which are and always have been recyclable).
Four solar panels, an inverter and a little fancy footwork and your NEV will never see a CUC bill.
I would never drive a NEV on the bypass. West Bay Road. Single lane, lower speeds is the perfect place for a NEV… so I would never have to worry about being taken out at a roundabout.
The mainstream electrics Leaf/Smart/Mini/Tesla/Volt/Zimmer all exceed current road safety standards.
You can even get a rooftop (although ugly) solar rig for a NEV so it can recharge itself while parked.
No oil, no gas, no combustion of ‘any’ kind. Made almost entirely out of recycled parts… which are of course themselves recyclable …
I don’t think there is any behind the scenes stuff going on from local dealers against the legislation, in fact… the opposite should be true. There will soon me a Mini and Mercedes electric and there is already a Chevy and Nissan electric and given the cost of our fuel I would think customers would be all over them requesting info and wanting to purchase… but the current laws don’t allow them to import these cars. So hopefully, they too are seeing the light and speaking their minds as well.
I use LED’s lights, have a car that gets 50 miles to the gallon… so I am not grandstanding here… I believe in protecting OUR eco system for future generations.
There is a great article in the Fortune magazine that just came out "China charging ahead in the electric car race" (Goggle it, its online) and the article says within ten years China’s entire automotive industry will be electric.
WOW !!!… ten years… isn’t a long time…
http://www.ccds.charlotte.nc.us/~jarrett/EV/cost.php
Delete the numbers in the slots and plug in the prices that we have here and compare the over all price. An electric car may save you more in the US but down here it makes very little difference on the environment.
I did as you suggested and compared the gas/electric costs.
Gas was 40 cents per mile and electric was 16 cents per mile.
A savings over over 60%.
Thanks for the chart …
Go Green?!? Great idea. Cayman is so small that if we truly adopted green policies, we would be the darling of the world stage instead of a laughing stock…pass the law, it is not that difficult, the politicians are just LAZY.
Let’s start with the ONE resource we have, the SUN.
Here is some free public relations and an easy one to pass (in weeks- a no brainer)….DST
We have tourism….new slogan, "Now, an extra hour of sunshine for you!"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daylight_saving_time
Tackle childhood obesity? Sure, "Hey Mom and Dad, it is still light outside, let’s go out and kick a football." or take a walk before the mosquitos come out???
Start with Daylight Saving Time and the Dump and please, please, please, pass this simple law on green cars.
How do you figure gasoline at 40 cents per mile? Your mileage must really suck.
We need to make up our minds. To most who post against the Governments indecision, would you rather have you kids breathing fresh air or air contaminated with lead.
Furthermore, try buying a set of replacement batteries for a Golf Cart from one of our local dealers and you will see that apart from a small amount of noise pollution the electric cars make no economical sense. It will increase our already very expensive electric bill, add unwanted lead pollution to our air and add extensively to our transportation costs in replacing the batteries very often.
The only one that stands to gain from such vehicles is the dealers who is no doubt all set to count the large profits they expect to make from this business.
Just remember that not everything that glitters is gold and we need to weigh the pros and cons before rushing into any new adventure. No doubt this is why the Government has not rushed into approving this new adventure.
Lithium Ion batteries have a life expectance of 5-7 years which most of the newer electric vehicles have installed. The batteries can also be recycled which is good for the environment.
That’s what Dell told me too……..Oops, better save my work before she shuts dow…
What an embarrasement!
Mac can push through a $100+ million loan, outside of proper channels, so that he has the funds to keep his international partying lifestyle going, but he can’t pause his globe-trotting ong enough to pass a minor law that will: help the environment, give Cayman another choice of vehicles which they clearly want and deserve, generate instant economic activity on the island, expand current businesses on the island, and help people save a few dollars on fuel bills.
And people wonder why Cayman is now considered a third-world territory – it’s so obvious! Govenment has wholly failed.
Enjoy your next trip Mac!
"now considered a third-world territory"
When has this country not been a third world country? It was, it is, and will be for a long time and that is why a lot of people have been coming here from the "First world"
Please do your research people! Electric cars are FAR from green. Plug one of these bad boys into your wall for a month and then check out your CUC bill!
The term ‘green’ is used in greater reference to the fact that harmful emissions are reduced when vehicles are more widely used, as they do not opperate on fossil fuels. So they are still in effect, ‘green.’
The electricity they run off is generated here from fossil fuels – so there is zero benefit in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. The health benefits from reduced ambient pollutants are going to be minimal (background PM10 will be very high due to being on an island) and dependent in part on how "green" the technology used at CUC to generate the electricity is.
Look up. See that big yellow ball?
I don’t understand the thumbs up – this is clearly wrong for a number of reasons. Solar power is the obvious answer to this error, amongst others.
Where is your research??
Strange? I see an electric car for sale outside the old beer store by the airport.
Gov make money on fuel tax. That is green as well. Maybe thats were the confusion comes in.
If these cars are electric, do they come with a solar panel for charging. If not i wonder how much of CUC energy it will use for charging the power cells to increase the household light bill? Even if equipped with solar panels we may still have to use CUC energy for charging on a cloudy or overcast day.
Typical! Just more private interest slowing down what should be a quick and easy amendment. The Cayman Islands Government are bound and determined to destroy this island by any means necessary
The government should be ashamed, but of course they are not. Very sad we have such an irresponsible government and leader. There is no reason in the world for this extended delay, just incompetence and a government that consists of members who for the large part only care about themselves, not the people or the islands environment.
I support the changes to the Law as I believe people should always be free to choose and the more options the better. The use of these vehicles will reduce the noise associated with traffic. However, with our electricity being diesel generated, it is not exactly the green choice it would be in other countries.
Anytime energy is converted some is lost. From diesel (chemical) to motion (kinetic) there is energy lost to friction, heat and sound. Energy is also lost to heat in electricity distribution and the charging of batteries. One should also consider the environmental hazard and degradation associated with the production and disposal of batteries used in these vehicles.
People want to do what is green and good for the planet, however, some items being promoted as green need to be looked at more closely, as they may seem green in to the end consumer but be environmentally hazardous in their production.
Some items are pushed as green not because the are but simply because it is good business. We need to look at our choices in a holistic manner if we are truly going to do what is best for the planet. This is true with all our choices not just electric cars.
Before electric cars positives can out way their negatives to the environment, we need to have a cleaner supply as electricity.
As an engineer, it is really difficult to understand why electric cars are still banned on Cayman.
Apparently, electric cars with LESS than 4 wheels ARE allowed, but not 4 wheeled vehicles.
This makes no sense at all. Everyone can see that any 4 wheeled vehicle is far more stable than
any 1, 2 or 3 wheeled one.
Is ANY species of animal three legged?
Is Cayman in favour of a green climate or not?
Who is in charge of blocking the use of these cars?
Why does Mac put up with this insubordination?
This is a very strange and stupid situation, which must be corrected ASAP
"Is any species of animal three legged".
"YES" I have seen a number of them on these islands.
Some are born four legged and had one surgically removed, but many naturally two legged are fitted with a third leg which was probably intended for other purposes.
If you had read the artcle you would see that the block is at the politial level. So now you know.
Re: "I recall the Queen visiting the islands years ago for her birthday. Upon their arrival, one of her associates immediately asked "why do these people have such powerful cars on such a small island?""
With all due respect to the poster – you could / should have countered with:
"What exactly is the earthly purpose of the very notion of a "Queen" in this day in age (apart from being a lucrative tourist attraction) – and furthermore, what then would be the role of the very inquiring associate?"
"Environmentally friendly" – that is such a broad and vague term … funny how the original term of "global warming" has been replaced with "climate change" as well?
If one desires a "cleaner" car – then more power to you, however, please do not do acquire it with aims of saving the world from "global warming" or "climate change".
Spit out the Kool-aid and try to see the bigger more-tax-and-World-Bank-centralized-power picture.
I know the opposition will come flooding into my post, and rest assured that I will not even attempts to change minds. (Environmentalism is officially the new religion of the world.)
However, the ACTUAL SCIENCE surrounding the issue DOES NOT support the theory and both historic and pre-historic evidence blows the entire "climate change / global warming" theory to smithereens – FACT. (I don’t care what "90% of the world climatologists by way of the IPCC supposedly says".)
The majority of that report has since been rejected and many of its participants felt duped by its structuring (science is a very tricky and intricate field which can easily be manipulated) – and those that have no problem with its findings are either the bearded, plaid wearing bicycle riding sadists or the snake in the grass million dollar research money hounds.
Even though the majority may be against my perspective on this issue – I simply could not stand by and let the misrepresentation fly wildly around the room.
I am a student of true history – history from all angles and sides of the fence. When one engages in such an act one develops a bit of a third eye for bullcrap. This issue is dripping and waterlogged with bull manure. Simple.
So – buy your Prius and Leaf – heck … you may even see me in one! However, I would be participating only to experience the new technology, save myself a few bucks (arguable) or to go along with the fashionable yet perhaps unknowingly pretentious crowd – for a day or two.
(By the way – how many of you have managed to research the emissions, energy requirements, and costs of the power cells of your new "green cars" … go on – check it out.)
Again – feel free to disagree, but the fact remains that there is an extremely powerful and well organized group of individuals that are lying to you and the rest of the world … and as EVERY OTHER well organized SCAM in the HISTORY of the WORLD … the end result is the demand of MORE of YOUR MONEY! (And of course to impose extra and unfair restrictions on the developing (non European / American), yet economically rising parts of the world – but that is for another day.)
* Oh yeah – one last thing … has anyone bothered to question what role that big, bright orange thing in the sky plays in all of this chaotic confusion? You know … THE SUN!!??*
I saw a report the other day where a recent study into "solar activity and trends" is casting a bit of a shadow onto the findings of "climate change". You would think I would find some comfort in such a development but I thought about it for a moment … these people are attempting to study and determine the patterns and pre-historic activity of THE SUN!!
THE SUN!!
Mankind is so stupid sometimes. I putthis one up there with animal trainers that find themselves being mauled in a circus tent by an 800lb male lion and the warning-sign-ignoring surfer dude that finds himself staring into the cold, black eyes of a Great White shark as it chomps down on his lower torso.
Respect this Earth people – and quit believe that man has the ability to understand and control all things within.
Amen!!
There is rational thinking out here after all beyond this "warm-and-fuzzy-feel good-about-myself/the earth need us to save it" idiotic emotional thinking !
This earth has been around BILLIONS of years and its atmosphere survived countless catastrophes, earth quakes, volcanic eruptions putting million of times the toxins humans can do, asteroids crashing, fires, oil lakes which have surfaced due to tectonic plate movement and naturally ignited burning crude into the atmosphere for millenniums, 800 of Saddam Husseins well set ablaze for 9 months, _each_ pumping in excess of 1 million barrels of oil a day EACH into the atmosphere (Yet FACT is the global has cooled since 1995, all of them "scientist" conveniently ignoring that) . We have had ice ages, melt downs for millions of years. etc..etc…etc..
And here comes the humans…. with their plastics bags, aerosol cans and and gas engines, and we are going to destroy the earth and melt the ice cap and end the world as we know it???? GIVE ME A BREAK.. PLEASE!!!
And best of all… the solution… Tax the world (especially the rich countries) and sell them carbon credits, and plant TREES! is the answer!? these people are going to fix the ionosphere by PLANTING TREES! and these people are selling the public this with a straight face, and worst of all, the idiots around the world are gobbling up like gospel!!!
Have anyone of them looked around the world and seen how many trees there are?
HERE!! HERE!!!
Where? Where?
The problem is that the only ‘green’ many of those responsible for matters like this understand is the colour of dollar bills.
This is like solar power and recycling, because there’s no direct financial incentive for anyone to push through the legislation it doesn’t get done.
Some 12 years ago I was a regular visitor to some of the smaller islands in the Bahamas, the vehicle of choice there was a golf cart. For years they had been licensed by the government (who also licensed and conducted annual safety checks on the island’s bicyles!) and operated without problems on a mixture of dirt and paved roads. Whilst I don’t recommend golf carts on the roads of Grand Cayman that’s how far Cayman is behind other Caribbean islands when it comes to electric vehicles.
If electric vehicles can operate safely in major cities there’s no excuse for not having them in Cayman Islands and they should have been introduced years ago, particularly on the Sister Islands.
I recall the Queen visiting the islands years ago for her birthday. Upon their arrival, one of her associates immediately asked "why do these people have such powerful cars on such a small island?" Since that day i have too questioned why people insist on driving overly powerful cars and paying 5 bucks a gallon for gas to fill up their guzzlers. Our speed limits are well within the capabilities of electric cars…Support Kyoto and push for green technology! we’re in the 21st century cayman, stop living back in the days before environmental concern…or at least try!
– Concerned young caymanian studying at university
p.s. Being off the island for school and keeping up with the news reports i noticed….something is SERIOUSLY wrong down there =[[[ no kudos for you all this evening
Modern gas powered cars contribute a nominal amount of pollution. An old banger can spew out 500 times the pollution of a modern car, and in some occasions even more. It is not the large modern cars you should be criticising but the man who drives the late 80’s wreck. If we REALLY wanted to do something green would would apply emission requirements to all cars and haul the wrecks off the road. But that is never going to happen.
wow you are so proud of large modern cars that struggle to get 20 mpg????
10 years ago in europei was driving a standard sized car that got 40mpg
Partially true, but you really need to consider the total cost of a car on the environment. Shipping, materials, energy consumed in making these ‘efficient new cars’, rare materials used in production, lead, copper, steel, platinum. The list is endless.
Please don’t think you are saving the planet by ditching an older car for one that uses less fuel and produces less emmissions, that’s just marketing BS.
In Cayman’s context of normally lower annual mileage the total environmental impact of production impact vs use will probably be higher.
I support rational solutions to problems but you can’t be too narrow in your focus, battery cars are very good on the zero emissions front, but balanced by diesel generated electricty to charge them, environmental impact on the production and disposal of batteries and I’m not sure where I sit. Change one of these elements and add in solar for the production of electricity and the balance swings in favour of battery cars, but in real world use will everyone not just plug them in overnight?
It’s certainly a noble challenge and I encourage anyone to pursue a solution as long as it is a considered solution.
The NEV pictured above was brought on island by me almost a year ago as the Government had promised passing of the necessary legislation ‘in the first quarter of 2010’.
The local Chevy dealer will not be allowed to sell the Chevy Volt which goes on sale in one month and the local Nissan dealer will not be able to sell the Nissan Leaf which is already on sale. Both are fully electric vehicles.
Within the next six-to-nine months, all major car manufacturers will have and be actively selling and marketing … fully electric vehicles.
As this article correctly points out, many countries have not only made them legal but have provided special tax advantages and rebates.
I predict that if Cayman were to offer a reduced duty of say 15% for NEV’s and fully electric vehicles that 20-30 of all vehicles imported within 24 months would be NEV’s or fully electric vehicles.
Cayman has a chance here to lead-the-charge, not follow the pack… and it would appear that we are missing this opportunity… without a good reason.
NEV’s and the new electrics coming to market are fully road legal in both the UK and US both of which have road laws very similar to Cayman.
We have an opportunity here that should not be missed. I am sure that once this law is passed that Andy’s and other local car rental companies will have entire fleets of electric cars and that they will not only rent for premium rates but will be very much in demand by people visiting our islands.
I can and will of course wait, but am a little disappointed with the delay.
But Marek- 85% of the pie isn’t the whole pie. You’re good with numbers and know the players. There are folks who can’t take their eye off of the entire pie.
In retrospect the pie metaphor was a little nebulous. Let’s go with the ‘bird in the hand’ metaphor. If you had a vested interest in inefficient power on the island and you had no conscience, what would be your incentive to greet electric cars with open arms?
Oh well, isn’t that a shame.
Don’t come crying to me when you get side swiped by some moron on a roundabout somewhere.
This island is so small lets get this law passed please
" that government was committed to the legislation and the necessary changes should form part of a comprehensive amendment of the blah blah blah…."
This is ridiculous, pass the legislation already! It should only take about 10 Minutes!
Aye, Aye, Aye, Nay, Nay, Aye…. The Aye’s have it.
I agree with "Electric Avenue"….passing this law should take about a week! Just copy Bermuda and Jamaica’s text, they are known for many intelligent lawyers drafting decent legislation and just pass the darn thing.
Come on!!! this is another example of lazy and incompetent civil service workers pulling down a huge paycheck and delivering NOTHING to the people they work for (us). Has any politician or civil service head of dept told us that they worked over 100 hours on this law, worked weekends to get it done? Nope, just another "soon come".
Wrong assumption. I bet if a government minister called in to the glass house and said "get me an electric car licencing law" it would be at the LA waiting for them when they arrived. The questionis where is the holdup after the law chages are drafted?
another day..more imcompetence from cig…..what a shambles….. direct rule asap please…….
Dear Majesty,
Please come in and save us….how much would we apply to the national debt if we took away the politicians salaries? Cut the civil service by 1/3 and actually forced immigration to hire locals? (that includes the big boy companies playing by the same rules as the little man)
Crown Rule!? Clearly the kids in the sandbox have had enough play time, I want stability and growth instead of a banana republic.
Yeah, go ask someone from TCI how well that is workign for them. Being run by a bunch of civil servants from another country. Civil servants earning huge salaries working to timelines that keep ‘slipping’. Be careful what you wish for, sometimes what you ask for isn’t what you actualyl want.
ever wonder why the national symbol of the cayman islands is a turtle?????……zzzzzzzzzzz