Electric vehicles are in demand more than ever before – yet they’re still in short supply at Bermuda’s car showrooms.
Dealers at Auto Solutions, Bermuda Motors and Eurocar all say they would love more EV options to satisfy their environmentally conscious and economically wise customers who’ve been won over by American TV adverts for the latest green vehicles.
But while there are a handful of options, such as the Electric Mini Cooper and Kia Soul at Bermuda Motors and the Neta V at World Distributors, as well as several hybrid offerings, we’re still waiting for the revolution to really take off.
One reason, according to dealers, is that EVs available for the island’s market are a fraction too big for our roads under legislation dating back to 1951.
Another is that car manufacturers have bracketed Bermuda with the Caribbean region, where demand for electric vehicles has been slower to pick up.
“We would say that about one in four clients that walk into the showroom ask us right off the bat what electric vehicles we have to offer,” said Glen Smith, managing director at Auto Solutions.
“We feel we are behind the eight-ball when we say, unfortunately, we don’t have anything to offer.”
The Bermuda Automobile Dealers Association is continuing to lobby the Ministry of Transport to tweak the Motor Car Act and allow vehicles to be an extra two inches long and two inches wide.
The Government has repeatedly stated it is considering the move and has recently completed a public engagement as part of plans to phase out internal combustion engines under the EVolve campaign.
Mr Smith said: “The last negotiation with the Government was in January 2024. With the extra two inches, Auto Solutions could possibly have five models.”
Auto Solutions represents seven brands, none of which have electric vehicles within the current size restrictions. The company got approval from Hyundai to import the electric Kona, only for the 2024 edition to grow by 0.85 inches.
Operations manager Harry Andrews said: “Getting approval from Hyundai is part of the battle. We are optimistic that there will be some leniency in size for EVs.
“We are not naive and we understand why we have size restrictions, with the car parks and narrow roads.
“But the underlying situation is there’s a demand, hence our sensitivity to not having a particular product that the customer is asking for.
“We had 80 Kona models pre-sold last year. The demand would have increased since then. Unfortunately, Hyundai made the decision to retool and increase the width by 0.85 inches.”
Despite the challenges, the number of electric vehicles in Bermuda has doubled from 607 to 1,230 in the past two years, with 627 private electric cars currently licensed with TCD, up from 437 this time last year. There are also 67 electric buses, 258 electric rental mini-cars, 87 electric trucks, 91 electric motorcycles and 72 electric auxiliary bikes.
Mr Smith remains hopeful that better news is around the corner.
“Transport minister Wayne Furbert has been very approachable on the subject and quite communicative,” he said.
“We have got the infrastructure in place: a workshop for EVs with temperature controls and four or five chargers on the property. We have sent our services manager on a training course for the new Kona. So when we get the EVs in we have already done most of the background work.
“We feel so close to it.”
It’s a similar story at Eurocar.
General manager Stephen Davidge said: “There are people coming in saying I want electric cars, what have you got?”
The answer is currently zero, but Mr Davidge said the dealer is considering three potential options should the circumstances change.
Hybrid options are a popular second choice, and the Honda Hybrid at Auto Solutions has been pre-sold for five months.
Mr Andrews said customers who are keenest on electric vehicles are also advised of the options at Bermuda Motors.
Sebastien Cornet, general sales manager at Bermuda Motors, said the Mini Cooper and Kia Soul have proved a hit, while they are hoping to add the Mini Aceman later this year.
However, efforts to bring in more well-known brands have been thwarted because Bermuda is deemed part of the Caribbean region.
“People seem to be more comfortable to invest their money when they know it’s a premium brand,” Mr Cornet said.
“There’s definitely an interest in the Mini and we have been quite successful with the BMW when we had it.”
Mr Smith shares the frustration.
“The region we are lumped in with is Latin America and the Caribbean. If they don’t have interest in these vehicles then we don’t get them,” he said.
“I wish we were tied to Europe by the hip because then we would have them. But if larger markets like Trinidad are not interested, then they won’t release it to Bermuda.”
One company to successfully get a foot in the door is World Distributors, the bike dealers, which brought the Neta V from China last year.
“There is a high level of interest for EV in Bermuda,” said Eugene Bothello, president of World Distributors.
“With our island being the size that it is, EV are a perfect choice. The feedback has been very positive and many of our new customers have been referred to us by clients that have been driving the Neta V for some time.”
Mr Bothello said World Distributors intends to have new models available later this year.
Mr Smith agrees on the level of interest.
“There’s been so much talking worldwide about electric vehicles,” he said.
“Most of our TV is based on US and Canada. You see adverts of EV cars. These clients do their research on the internet and we find they know more about the car than we do.
“They check out what the rest of the world has and they are prepared and knowledgeable.”
