by Curlan Campbell
- Programme includes installation of up to 12 charging stations across Grenada
- Stakeholder workshop focused on legal preparedness for EV transition and end-of-life management
- One priority is to amend Solid Waste Management Act
As Small Island Developing States (SIDS) confront the dual challenges of climate change and fossil fuel dependence, Grenada is taking decisive action through the Global Electric Mobility (GEM) Programme, a collaborative initiative supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility’s Seventh Replenishment Cycle (GEF-7).
The GEM Programme aims to facilitate a sustainable, low-emission transport transition across developing countries by promoting renewable energy-powered electric mobility systems. In April 2025, the momentum for this transition was visibly demonstrated at the inaugural Caribbean E-Mobility Conference, held in Antigua and Barbuda, where regional leaders, development partners, and technical experts convened to accelerate collaboration, investment, and policy alignment. The event highlighted the increasing agreement that electric vehicles (EVs) are now a practical reality throughout the Caribbean, not just a future hope.
“Grenada is now actively catching up with other Caribbean nations that have already made significant progress in electric mobility,” said Nichole N Gellineau, Consultant for the E-Mobility Project under GEF-7. “We are at a pivotal point, supported by UNEP and GEF, to embed long-term structural change.”
Gellineau holds a BSc, an MBA in Human Resources, and an LLM in International Law and Sustainable Development. With over 10 years of consultancy experience, she has successfully transitioned to a career in sustainability after working in the international hospitality sector. Gellineau has collaborated with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), specialising in areas such as climate change, environmental issues, renewable transportation, and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIA).
During a stakeholder workshop held on 15 July 2025, attention turned to the country’s legal preparedness for the EV transition. The session focused on regulatory gaps in the end-of-life management of electric vehicles and renewable energy (RE) infrastructure. Gellineau emphasised that one priority is to amend the Solid Waste Management Act, which currently lacks provisions for the disposal and recycling of EV-specific components such as lithium-ion batteries and e-motors.
“The current legal framework does not anticipate the unique waste stream associated with EVs,” Gellineau noted. “That’s a critical area for legislative reform.”
Grenada, one of the final entrants in the GEM Programme’s third cohort, follows regional peers like Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Lucia, all of whom have begun implementing electric vehicle fleets, charging infrastructure, and financial incentives for EV adoption.
“We’ve seen a dramatic shift in public perception and governmental commitment,” said Gellineau. “With fuel costs impacting national budgets and household incomes, electric vehicles are increasingly viewed as an economic and environmental necessity.”
Under the current GEM framework, Grenada will deploy up to 6 electric vehicles across various public institutions, including ministries and statutory bodies. To reduce the cost differential between internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles and electric alternatives, the project provides a direct subsidy mechanism.
“If an EV costs $2.25 and a comparable ICE vehicle costs $2, the programme will fund the $0.25 difference,” Gellineau explained. “If you recall, the Government of Grenada has removed all import duties and taxes on electric vehicles. And with full exemptions on solar technologies as well, the affordability gap is narrowing.”
The programme also includes the installation of up to 12 charging stations across Grenada, coordinated with the Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment, and Renewable Energy. These stations will be strategically located to support both public institutions and future private-sector adoption.
“One barrier to EV uptake, especially for bus and taxi operators, is a concern about charging infrastructure,” said Gellineau. “Our approach is to develop the infrastructure first so that operators have the confidence to invest in EVs.”
The shift toward electric mobility is now a regional reality. From St Lucia’s public-sector EV fleet to Belize’s electrified mass transit systems, Caribbean countries are actively transitioning to clean transport. The legal, financial, and infrastructural groundwork being laid in Grenada reflects a broader regional trajectory toward decarbonised mobility, supported by coordinated efforts from UNEP, GEF, and national governments.
“Electric vehicles are here,” Gellineau concluded. “They’re no longer a future consideration. They are part of the Caribbean’s present and essential to its sustainable future.”
