Seychelles: Electric cars to promote a cleaner environment

Seychelles is long known for its promotion of sustainable environmental practices and notably the switch to electric cars. The government and private sector in Seychelles are quite committed to ensuring that the transport industry is environmentally friendly.

Tesla provides “Wall Connectors” for their staff by which they charge their electric cars while at work. The company allows them to charge the electric vehicles for free. The government of Seychelles offers incentives that result to decreased tax on electric cars. This move will have a significant impact on a cleaner environment if adopted by the public transport especially taxis and tourism industry. The government should strive to offer more incentives by providing free charger wall connectors in Ferry Ports, Taxi Ranks and the central hospitality utilities like hotels. The government, in consultation with Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) should also provide wall connectors for charging electric cars at the Seychelles Airport.

There is a need for both the government and private sector to install wall connectors whereby the public and company employees can charge their electric cars. This will motivate the majority of the Seychellois population to acquire electric vehicles.

Currently, the pump prices of petrol and diesel in the country are quite high. The government hopes to discourage the use of non-electric cars. Similarly, the government, through the port customs imposes high import tax duties on the non-electric or hybrid vehicles. It is expected that the majority of the population in Seychelles will switch to use of electric cars that are cheaper to maintain than non- electric ones.

Currently, Seychelles is at the top in global environment rankings. The government of Seychelles has prioritized the need for a clean environment and climate such as air. It has adopted various measures to promote the preservation, protection, and improvement of the situation. Clean up activities by volunteers are regularly undertaken to collect litter especially along the Seychelles beaches.