While Norway's government had to reiterate shortly before the New Year that the goal is not to eradicate all gasoline and diesel cars, the situation is completely different on the British island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic.
The British island of St. Helena, located in the South Atlantic, has decided to eliminate all gasoline and diesel cars as part of a comprehensive transition to green energy.
The island, home to just over 5,000 residents, is known for its older car models such as the Ford Fiesta, Ford Transit and Land Rover Defender. But now the local authorities want to replace these older vehicles with electric cars that can only be powered by renewable energy sources.
This is what Autocar writes.
Currently, St. Helena gets approximately 25 percent of its energy from a small wind and solar farm, while the rest comes from a diesel-based power station.
The diesel is imported to the oen. And it is very expensive for babies.
"We spend around £5 million a year importing diesel," says Mark Brooks, the island's minister for finance and economic development.
– It's not just the cost of buying the diesel, but also the cost of transporting it to the island and transferring it to our storage facilities.
– That's why we are working to increase our share of renewable energy. We will reach 80 percent from renewable energy sources by 2028.
As part of the effort to promote electric cars, a Subaru Solterra has been imported to the island, along with a charger supplied by the Norwegian company Easee.
The charger is now the world's most remote public charging station. It has been set up in the capital, Jamestown.
According to Brooks, the trial has already had an effect: "Three oboists have offered to buy the Solterra, and the charger will become part of a network that will support a future fleet of electric cars in 2025."
Briton Derek Pedley, who already owns an electric car on St. Helena, is positive about the development.
"The experience of driving an electric car here has been good. Repairs have been limited to brakes and tires, which are standard for any car," he tells the media outlet.
He expects that several hundred electric cars will be imported within five years and has himself taken the initiative to import a small fleet of electric Mini models.
Although the island has an advantage in the form of non-existent tariffs on electric cars, challenges are still present. Some of which electric car owners are not immune to.
The average annual income of £9,000 – equivalent to 80,000 Danish kroner – means that the government must find additional incentives to make electric cars a realistic choice for most residents.
In Norway, where the average income is several hundred thousand kroner higher, they did not achieve the goal of outcompeting gasoline and diesel cars last year. At least not when it comes to new cars. An overwhelming majority of Norwegians also doubt that it will happen at all. Read more about it here .
