Díaz-Canel visitsVedca: “This company is a stronghold of our cooperation with China”
May, 2026 Radio Rebelde
Havana— The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, visited this Friday the International Economic Association (Asociacion Economica International) of Electric Vehicles in the Caribbean (Vedca in Spanish), located in the municipality of Boyeros in Havana. He signaled the strategic role that this industry plays in the energy transition of our country and its contribution in building our “Shared Future Community” with the Popular Republic of China.
During the tour our president highlighted that Vedca -resulting from a contract between the Tianjin Dongxing Industrial Group Co. Ltd and its counterpart Minerva in Cuba, has become a very crucial actor in electrical mobility in our country. “This factory is a concrete expression of the Shared Future Community that we are building with China” said our president and noted that this installation is also full of innovation, a project that provides many opportunities for our country’s development.
The chief of State remarked that the production level of Vedca is directly connected to energy transition, which is one of the three strategic priorities of Cuba, together with defense and food production. In this context, he highlighted that electrical mobility is an essential component. “We can talk much about electrical mobility, but if we do not have the appropriate equipment we will not be able to succeed,” he said.
Díaz-Canel encouraged workers and directives of the factory to think big, to diversify product lines and apply innovation in the function of what our country needs. He proposed, among other things, to extend the use of these vehicles to the support of food, the transportation of medicines (including refrigerated systems) and popular recreational activities with support from mobile units equipped with photovoltaic panels and audiovisual screens.
Innovation in the function of diversification is thinking big, and not getting used to just a range of products. Technology allows diversification, it is flexible.
The director of Vedca, Julio Oscar Pérez Pérez, explained that the association started to function in 2021, after getting over the challenges imposed by COVID-19. The results obtained have been increasing: from a thousand units assembled during our first year, to 10 thousand units in 2025, for a total of more than 12 million dollars and which translated into a direct income to our country of 2 million dollars.
Today Vedca has three crucial production lines: electric bicycles, electric motorcycles, and electric tricycles. During the second semester this year, we plan to incorporate the production of electric cars able to reach 80-90 km/hour speed and 200-250 km of autonomous driving. We also plan to produce electric pickup trucks and there are already two models authorized.
He also added that the factory employs 96 workers, 20 of them females, with an average age of 46 years old and a salary average of 16 500 pesos. We apply a plan of food subsidies to ensure the well being of our labor force and its stability. We are moving forward with the creation of a joint venture including the making of metallic structures (specifically tricycles frames) in Cuba, saving space but also incorporating advanced technology such as laser cutting and automatic welding.
In terms of the commercialization of the products -they are sold through international platforms of international payment (to clients outside of Cuba) and in store chains, mainly with TRD (which already bought more than 1000 bicycles and motorcycles this year) in Cuba. We also sell to Cuban public firms. At this time, demand outstrips supply, the goal is close this year with more than 20 thousand units delivered.
One of the most relevant aspects in connection with Vedca is energetic sustainability. The building socio-administrative has already a photovoltaic system, and for august or September we plan to achieve total independence from the national electro-energetic net. On top of this, all tricycles assembled from no won will include photovoltaic panels that contribute, in a 30 and 40 percent, to its autonomy. We are studying to incorporate foldable photovoltaic systems to motorcycles and bicycles, as well as fix stations that help deal with domestic charging.
The ambassador of China in Cuba, Hua Xin, who was touring with our president and who has been in this role for two years now, noted that Vedca not only is producing new equipment with new energy, but it has also used them in its own productive process. He explained that he values the vision of the future of our president who bets in favor of renewable energy. “Without the efforts of the last few years, Cuba would not have today the possibility of showing resilience in confronting illegal sanctions,” he affirmed. He highlighted China’s commitment to increased support of Cuba transition to renewable energy, and announced the objective of ensuring Vedca becomes an example of bilateral cooperation and of the construction of a “Shared Future Community.”
Díaz-Canel concluded calling Vedca to become the flag bearer of the use of renewable energies and of innovation, as well as in the digital transformation and artificial intelligence, to be “a modern, flexible and competitive organization, an example of the efficient and socialist company we want”.
Before departing our president confessed that visiting Vedca was very positive. The country faces a challenging situation brought about by the ongoing, and more aggressive than ever, blockade and energetic wall. It is very encouraging because we can see the results of this collective fighting and working for development.
Translation by NSCUBA (Nova Scotia)
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