We just returned from another journey to Cuba. While it certainly was time well spent to escape the northern cold, we were – again – surprised by the evident absence of vintage cars on Cuba's roads. You wouldn't notice it much in Havana, but rural Cuba suffers from a serious lack of affordable combustible. Even more than before, the roads were pretty deserted. Sure, many cars sleep hidden behind garage doors until better economic conditions make them come back again. Yet we've come across a few nice vintage cars that will be featured here over the next weeks. For today, here's something much more modern.
You are looking at the newest trend in Cuban transportation: the AVA 1000 „Aguila" enjoys a massive popularity and already has become an ubiquitous sight in Cuba's provincial cities. Imported from Panama, the „Eagle" is a sharp looking electric scooter. Five 12V gel-acid batteries produce 60 volt and 22 ampere hours combined, good enough for a day or two of normal city driving. A top speed of 60 km/h (37 mph) and an autonomy of up to 80 km (50 miles) leave nothing to be desired and make the „Aguila“ a strong contender to the automobile. Best of all, you don't need a driving license for this electrical "bike“. At least for once it seems that Cuba is in the vanguard of modern mobility.
Unison International S.A. which offers the AVA 1000 from the free trade zone of Colón in Panama, is a brand of the Chinese HuiZhou StarPower Co., LTD. Amazingly, these scooters are imported to Cuba in a large scale by private persons. Here, a new "Aguila" changes ownership for 1,800-2,000 convertible Pesos which roughly equals the same amount in US-American Greenbacks. Reportedly, it sells for around 700 Dollars in Panama. That's a respectable markup even considering the costs for transport, import and —possibly— bribing.